


Not-Sarah

by pandoralily



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Onesided Jareth/Sarah, Sexual Tension, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-12 06:14:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 25,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28630851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pandoralily/pseuds/pandoralily
Relationships: Jareth (Labyrinth)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

He took the wrong child, and Not-Sarah is far, _far_ worse than Sarah.

It started with a violent storm, the lightening cracked against the black sky and Olivia's eyes didn't leave the man in front of her.

The rain had battered her face, made her make up run and the wind knotted her hair. Her coat had protected her from the worst of it but she could still feel the little droplets chill her in her boots, autumn had come with ferocity, but Olivia knew that this storm was not the season's product.

The man was completely dry, an aspect of Olivia's childhood who had haunted her dreams, and she could scarcely believe he was real. But he was, and he was standing right in front of her.

"Hello, Not-Sarah," he said and Olivia frowned at his odd greeting, clawing back the lump of fear in her throat.

The wind howled in her ears but his words were clear as day, "You don't even look like her, too short," he said, circling Olivia and assessing her with cruel eyes, "too pale," he continued, almost sneering in disappointment, "too _old_."

"Old," Olivia scoffed, and if the King was startled then he masked it well, "I'm twenty-five! It's weird you're obsessed with a teenager!"

The fear was gone, though Olivia could not place why or how, and as she stared down the Goblin King she noticed a little smirk pulling at the corner of his lip and behind that a feral, pointed canine.

"You have courage," he sauntered around, and it was then Olivia noticed that the storm, while still raging on, did not seem to touch her. It was as if she and the Goblin King stood inside a bubble, a bubble covered in glitter. “Perhaps you _can_ entertain me?”

Olivia continued to frown, lips pulling back against white teeth in a snarl, "Why are you here?"

He grinned ferally, and Olivia had to remind herself not to be swayed by his beauty or charm, "I have your nephew."

She felt the air freeze in her lungs and clawed hands grip her ribs, the terror of such a claim thrumming through her blood. The Goblin King, once thought to be fictional, had power over her and the life of her baby nephew.

"Why? How?" She demanded, the lingering fear washed away by fierce anger. Olivia had not wished him away, and if it was her brother then surely he should be the one the King would approach?

He smirked again, clearly taking joy in Olivia's distress, "His mother is rather enraptured with myself, but it is not her that I offer this chance to. Will you run my labyrinth?"

Olivia swallowed thickly, eyes darting to the side as panic rose within her, and yet the words that left her mouth would be the only ones she could answer him with, “Of course I will.”

The King's smirk never fell and he summoned a crystal ball, flourishing it dramatically as he leered at Olivia.

"I can offer you something else, something deep from within your heart," he said and the crystal ball changed to reflect all the things Olivia had ever wanted; a car, money, a house, a publishing deal, but the crystal did not show the thing she wanted most, the crystal did not show her baby nephew.

Olivia glared defiantly, "I only want my nephew."

He sighed, almost disappointed, "You're making this far more difficult than it needs to be, you're not even a Sarah."

She rolled her eyes, "So you keep saying," it was starting to get annoying, "I'll do it though, I'll run your labyrinth or whatever and rescue my nephew."

The King barked out a harsh laugh, "My labyrinth will destroy you, only one Sarah has ever defeated it, but you are certainly welcome to try."

_Lightning and thunder_ , she thought, _right on cue_.

The storm, and surrounding night, melted away to reveal a cold landscape, the dilapidated labyrinth’s key feature with the intimidating castle at it's centre. It looked different from the film, Olivia noted, but she had once read that the labyrinth changed to each individual's imagination.

She moved past him and stared into the land. On a distant hill, brilliant in the flashes, she squinted at the castle, trying to see more clearly. There were towers with turrets, massive walls, spires and domes, a portcullis and drawbridge. The whole edifice was built on top of a sharply rising mound. Around it the lightning flickered and forked like snakes' tongues. Beyond was...something, as if her eyes were unable to pick up whatever it was.

She turned back to the King, shifted from on booted foot to the other, "How long do I have?"

Now in his territory, the Goblin King looked different. He seemed more relaxed, his stance stronger and the light of the sun accentuated his handsome features, he also appeared taller to Olivia's eyes.

"Turn back, Not-Sarah, turn back now and I'll be lenient." He warned, a sharp smile that seemed to hide his intentions adorned his face.

She shook her head, "No."

He raised a brow, "No?"

"No." She repeated, refusing to break his gaze.

He sighed and stepped forward and Olivia held the urge to step back, she wouldn't let him intimidate her. Gently, he grasped her wrist, and she again had to push back the shudder that ran through her from his warmth through his leather gloves, and twisted her had gently to show the face of her broken wristwatch.

Only, it wasn't broken any more.

It had been permanently stuck at quarter past three, the roman numeral for twelve wedged between the two hands. It was scratched and Olivia hadn't had the time, nor the money, to fix it lately.

But, it wasn't broken anymore.

The Goblin King waved his finger and the hands wound backwards until they landed on the newly replaced twelve.

"You have until the hands reach twelve once more," Olivia was almost repulsed at the way his fingers rubbed her wrist, his grip strong, "take any longer, and your nephew is mine forever."

He was staring directly into Olivia's eyes and she took notice of his heterochromia, his grip increased to a bruising force as he regarded her, "And remember, Not-Sarah, you are not _her_ , and I shall not be so kind."

The King let go and Olivia glared at him, "I’d expect nothing less, and my name is not Not-Sarah!"

He laughed again as his disappeared into the mist, Olivia haunted by his eyes.

She could see the start of the labyrinth, even if it was different from Sarah's labyrinth it still held key features, one of those features being the distinct lack of a front door.

She studied it, trying to decipher some pattern to it, some principle of design that might guide her through it. She could see none. Corridors doubled, and wound and coiled. Gateways led to gateways leading into gateways. It reminded her of thousands of fingerprints laid side by side, overlapping each other. _Did someone work all that out_ , she wondered, _or had it just happened?_

In the dawning light, she could see below her a path that zigzagged down the hillside. She picked her way to it through the rocks and shrubs. At the foot of the path, she came to a great wall, strengthened with buttresses. It stretched as far as she could see to the left and right.

Olivia muttered curses under her breath as she examined the wall, pretty flowers twisting out of cracks and mocking her with their bowing heads and floral scent. They curled and whispered things to her, and it was a clear sign that Olivia should definitely be wary of the labyrinth, because she was Not-Sarah.

Soon, she spotted a strange man, Hoggle, was his name as she remembered it, and debated whether or not approaching him would be wise.

But then again, she thought, what do I have to lose?

_Your_ _nephew_ , whispered her subconscious, _you have your_ _nephew_ _to lose_.

It was right, of course, but Olivia really needed help getting into the labyrinth and guessed that Hoggle might be her best bet.

"Umm," she began and the dwarf turned around, "can you tell me how to get into the labyrinth please?"

He grunted, walking forward, and standing on a few fairies in the process, and assessed Olivia with a critical eye.

"Your hair is silver," he said, "and your eyes are blue, yu'h not a Sarah?" He asked and Olivia felt her eyes roll again. She was well aware that she wasn't Sarah and thought that everybody else would be able to see that too!

"No, I'm not," she said, "I'm Olivia and the Goblin King has my nephew, I'm going to get her back," she gestured to the labyrinth, "but I need to get in there to do that."

He shook his head violently, "I'm not helping no Not-Sarah, sure way to get me head off me shoulders!" He turned away as Olivia gaped in indignation, "Find another way in!"

Olivia ground her teeth, stomping up to Hoggle and stopping him in his path, "I'm not asking you to accompany me," she ground out, "I'm asking for directions and if you don't tell me then you'll have a far bigger problem than decapitation!"

She was _angry_ , she was _indignant_ , she was _wasting time_.

Hoggle seemed to do a double take, "Was that a threat, Not-Sarah!?" He raised his voice to match hers, clearly not happy with Olivia's words.

Olivia continued to glare, "Does it need to be?" She asked sharply, "I may not be Sarah,-"

"-that's obvious," Hoggle interrupted.

" _But_ ," Olivia said forcefully, "that false king has meddled with my nephew and I'm going to get him back whatever it takes," she crossed her arms, "including retrieving information out of grumpy dwarves. Will you tell me or not?"

His demeanour seemed to change, albeit slowly, as he regarded Olivia, "You're really going to do this, aren't ya?"

Olivia nodded fiercely, "Yes."

A small smile broke out on Hoggle face, "It's your funeral, Not-Sarah, but maybe ya could do it," he turned to look behind him, stout finger pointed to the large doors that were not there before, "it's there, and I wish ya luck. Ya gonna need it to face, Jareth,"

Olivia nodded, smiling at Hoggle, "Thank you, I'll bear that in mind, and my name is Olivia!" She said before running off into the labyrinth.

Hoggle waved her comment off, "Don't matter what yer name is, ya won't last long enough for anyone to remember it..."

She didn't hear him, focused instead on which as to go.

Left or right?

Did it matter? Usually labyrinths had an opening both ways but Olivia couldn't afford to make a mistake, not with her limited time and the ever present reminder that she was _not_ Sarah and as such would not receive the kindness Sarah had.

She looked to the top of the high wall, it was too far high for her to climb, and even then there was no guarantee that she would be able to jump across the gaps in the wall. It was better to walk, she decided, than potentially injure herself in the process.

And so Olivia started walking, trusting instinct and intuition to guide her way, and it seemed that the more process she made the longer the labyrinth got.

One step, and then another, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another. She was certain she must've been walking for hours but a quick glance at her watch revealed it hadn't even been thirty minutes. Did the magic of the labyrinth affect her perception of time? Again, Olivia couldn't be certain, in fact the film even stated 'things aren't always how they seem'. But that was in Sarah's labyrinth, Olivia couldn't even rely on what the film had said to guide her. She had to rely on herself and her desperate need to rescue her nephew.

And so she took a deep breath and pushed herself harder, ignoring the strange eye-plants she passed, before eventually Olivia came to a break in the labyrinth.

She mentally cheered for herself and took the left turning, reinvigorated by her small success, and set off with a spring in her step. The walls still looked the same, and the sun hadn't moved in the sky, though it was unsettling, Olivia was grateful that the labyrinth's high walls shielded her from the harsh wind beyond the walls.

And then the walking got tedious again.

Olivia groaned, passing by an identical shrub for the twenty-forth time, she was counting, before letting out a short screech in frustration.

It was as if every single victory, no matter how small, she made was overshadowed by a looming failure.

It wasn't her fault every single wall in the labyrinth looked exactly the same!

Olivia could feel rage building up in her chest, a cold cover for the rising hopelessness, but she knew that no matter how enraged, how hopeless she felt she simply did not have the option of giving up.

She leaned against one of the walls, mist swirling around her ankles, and it was then that Olivia noticed the darkening of the light around her.

Warily, she raised her head and peered out into the mist from beneath her arm.

It was swirling, contorting, and Olivia swore she could see faces appearing and disappearing before her very eyes. Every now and then, glowing eyes blinked at her.

"Hello?" She called out cautiously, debating on whether or not running would be necessary.

The mist seemed to respond to her voice, fluttering and twisting around her ankles, gently climbing up her legs and gathering around her waist. Eyes greeted her and Olivia could make out the crunching of bones she stood upon, the mist shrouding the leering grins of skeletons that clawed at her clothing.

Olivia shrieked in shock, jerking backwards and disrupting the mist around her. Unsteadily, she lost her balance as she hurtled back, choking out a gasp as she fell onto the bones beneath her, eyes clenched shut.

She could still feel the bones and mist shifting around her, but Olivia was so scared, and she really, _really_ didn't want to open her eyes. Boney fingers pulled and prodded, and Olivia could feel the bones beneath her shift into an opening. They were going to drag her down.

A low groan sounded in her ears, close to her person she had no doubt, and hesitantly, she opened her eyes.

Her scream died in her throat, directly in her face was a jeering skull, mouth stretched in a terrifying smile and Olivia lurched upwards, swinging her fist violently at the skull and watching as it flung from its spine. She scrambled away from the grabbing skeleton hands, kicking, punching, pushing, and pulling, bones flying in all directions as Olivia battled her way through the scores of undead that seemed determined to force her to join their ranks.

"You can't have me!" Olivia shouted, stomping on the ground and watching as hundreds of bones were dispelled upwards by the force of her boot.

And then they were still.

Olivia regarded the undead before her, fear clawing at her throat, but they made no move to grab her again, they just stared strangely at her.

One directly in front of her made a choking noise, and Olivia glared it down, pushing back the errant thought of lack of vocal chords, as the skeleton appeared to try and speak to her.

"Not-Sarah..." it croaked, and Olivia felt annoyance bubble up inside of her at the stupid name again, "you've come...a long...way...away..."

Olivia nodded, "So what? I'm here to get my nephew and leave!" She yelled.

The skeleton smiled, or at least that's what Olivia thought it was trying to do, "You are... doomed...to...fail..." it said and Olivia sighed heavily.

"So I keep being told," she replied and Olivia ignored the little voice in her head that spoke of the incredulity of talking to a skeleton, "why did you try to pull me under?!" She said ferociously, still glaring at the skeleton.

It seemed to consider her words before answering, "Our King...declares...that the... Not-Sarah...must fail...the...labyrinth..."

Olivia laughed harshly, "Of course he did, the great tosspot, well I've got some bad news for your _king_ ," she spat out the words as if it were acid, "I'm going to retrieve my nephew, and nothing in this gods forsaken land can stop me!"

To Olivia's surprise, the skeletons parted like the Red Sea for Moses, revealing a new path for Olivia to take, each staring at her with expressionless eye sockets.

"Go..." the talkative skeleton rasped, "and prove...yourself...to the...labyrinth...or die...trying..."

Olivia stalked forward, "I will beat this labyrinth," she growled, striding through the path the skeletons had made for her, "and my name is Olivia!"

The mist dispelled and the skeletons receded back into the ground, ready to spread the word of the Not-Sarah who was going to find her nephew, whatever the cost.


	2. Chapter 2

Jareth watched her with an amused smile. In that place no one else took much notice of the babe.

Horned or hairy or helmeted goblins racketed around the place, across the filthy floor, over the steps of the throne, up on the ledges of the room, some chasing chickens or a black pig in a helmet, some squabbling over a tidbit, some peering into any vessel in the hope of finding something to eat, some just sitting and gnawing on bones, others staring balefully at all the rest through crazed eyes.

The room was littered with half-finished platefuls of food, and torn fabrics and cothing, garbage and junk. A small pterodactyl flapped around, taking its chances. The curved crown mounted heraldically above the throne, decorated with ram's horns, had been appropriated by a vulture for its nest. Or perhaps Jareth had installed the vulture there for his own amusement.

He needed something to keep him amused here. The goblins were, truthfully, a bore. They were so stupid they couldn't find their own way through the labyrinth. They were without wisdom or wit.

In the old days, when many babies had been offered to him, Jareth had been more tolerant, reckoning that soon he would certainly find one who could be trained as a worthy companion to the throne, one whose young blood would serve to refresh Jareth's, whose high spirits would dispel the thoughts of aging that oppressed the King of the Goblins.

As calls upon him to steal a child became rarer, so Jareth sank deeper into dejection. He avoided mirrors and reflecting water. He could feel that the corners of his mouth had tightened, and he needed no proof of the wrinkles that creased his brow when he did not deliberately narrow his eyes to tauten his skin.

1300 years as a King and still Jareth was not satisfied, he was sick and tired of ruling over idiots and desperately wished for something entertaining.

Lounging in his draped throne, which was in the form of an interrupted circle, Jareth looked at the giggling figure of Kurt. With any luck, he might grow up to be an intelligent goblin. He might make some jokes, or anyway see the point of Jareth's. He even might be of some help in ruling this ramshackle empire. At the very least, he might have some fresh ideas about mischief.

Two-headed sheep, curdled milk, banging pans, snatched nightclothes, barren fruit trees, shifted tables, moldy bread – Jareth had seen it all, much too often. But this lot, rooting and pratfalling around all day, still found such tired old cliches a perfect riot every time. Pitiful, they were.

Jareth sat in his horned throne, regarding the child with disinterest.

A small baby boy, perhaps one and a half or so, had been wished away by his stupid mother in a fit of rage. The woman had cried upon finding her son had been taken, but Jareth had little interet in her, instead he turned his sights to others that may run his labyrinth for the child and found all lacking. Except, of course, for Olivia. He couldn't name the feeling that eveloped him when he gazed upon her on that terrible stormy night, but Jareth knew beyond any comprehension that the Labyrinth wanted her to run it. And Jareth was nothing if not curious.

The baby excitable and talkative, and seemed to hold a great love for the goblins that doted on him. It almost annoyed Jareth had he not been so preoccupied with the recent news of his latest labyrinth runner.

Not-Sarah had passed the undead mist with relative ease, only stopping to kick and shout at them. They had brought him news of Not-Sarah's declaration, and he could already feel curiosity pricking at his skin.

A few adult Sarahs had passed the undead mist, but he had had only one Not-Sarah do so, and _that_ was very long time ago.

And as such he was intrigued, how had this girl managed it? Surely it was not just by shouting as the skeletons would have him believe.

He watched her through his crystals, and even now as Not-Sarah continued pushing forward through his labyrinth, he could feel the magic stirring within him. The labyrinth was trying to tell him something, of that he was certain, but whether or not he _could not_ , or _would not_ listen was unknown.

For years Sarah, all variations of her he had met, had held his interest with a singularity unfound in anyone else. But here was a Not-Sarah who had wormed her way into his sights and so far was making good on her promise to conquer his labyrinth.

Of course, he didn't believe she could do it, but that didn't mean he couldn't have fun in the mean time. And Not-Sarah was an adult without consequence on his behalf, which made the game far more interesting.

He could hurt her without the same moral implications that hurting fifteen year old Sarah would have.

This was going to be fun, and he'd been bored for such an awfully long time.

* * *

Olivia was lost and two hours had passed, meaning that she only had ten hours to rescue her nephew and while that may have seemed like a lot of time, really she had no time at all.

At least she was passed the first bit of the labyrinth. A cold comfort, but a comfort nonetheless.

But now Olivia felt that she was more lost than ever, with every winding turn she found herself back at the same flower ornaments and the same archway.

She groaned in frustration once more, leaning against a large flower vase and running her hand through her messy ashen hair.

"Lost are we?"

Olivia's head snapped up at the sound of the voice, eyes widening as the Goblin King smirked right in front of her face. He was leaning on the other side of the vase, dangerously close to Olivia, she could feel his breath on her face.

She lurched backwards, barely catching herself in time to avoid a tumble, when the King sauntered around the vase to stand in front of her.

"My, my, clumsy as well as stupid, how ever do you manage?" He jeered, his long cloak flowing behind him.

Olivia shot him a dirty look, "Similar to _you_ , I imagine." she shot back, ignoring the growing smirk on the King's face.

"You'd insult your own king?" He taunted, dangling the bait in front of her face.

Olivia bit, but she swallowed it in one, "You're not my king, I have no king," she turned around, eyes on the castle in the distance, "now if you'll excuse me, I have a labyrinth to traverse."

He swiftly moved into step beside her, his gaze never once leaving her irritated face, as he followed where she led.

"Must you follow me?" Olivia said, walking faster in an attempt to ditch the annoying king.

She heard him laugh but refused to look at him, he was _very_ distracting and she absolutely could not get distracted.

"I am merely curious to see how you are faring." He said and Olivia wasn't entirely conviced of the truth of his words.

She rolled her eyes, "You're a fae, right?" she asked him.

The king's brows rose as he regarded Olivia, wondering exactly how she intended to play this game of theirs, "And what of it?" he replied.

Olivia stopped for a moment, turning to look at the king with a critical eye, "If you're a fae then you're governed by the fae rules, correct?" She wasn't going to give him any chances of twisting her words, she barely knew how to deal with the half truths he would no doubt give her, so straight forward YES NO questions were the way to go. At least, that's what Olivia reasoned.

"Yes," he said, "but what about mortals? Do you not have rules that govern you?" _Ah_ , Olivia thought, _he wants to change the subject_.

She turned left, and nearly walked straight into a hedge, before spinning around and looking up at the Goblin King, his pointed canines shined in the sun's reflection.

"Of course, but those rules are of our own creation, from what I've read the fae had theirs created for them." She said, striding past the king and ignoring how his cloak whipped at her ankles as she did so.

The king responded, clearly interested in their conversation, "And what have you read, little bird?"

She pulled a face at the nickname, "Myths and the like," Olivia looked at him, for the first time with no trace of malice on her face, just genuine curiosity, "can you really not touch iron? And what about glamour? How does that work?" she continued walked, spouting out question to the king before even got to answer the first, "What of lying? I read that fae cannot directly lie?"

His face contorted into a snarl, "Is that why you ask, girl?" he snarled, and Olivia was taken aback from his sudden change in demeanor, "You wish to learn my secrets and use them for your own will?! You think you can beat me at my own game?!"

In his anger, the king summoned a great staff and beat the bottom of it twice against the stones beneath their feet.

"Just who do you think you are, _Not-Sarah_!" He yelled and the ground began to shake.

Olivia screeched, crouching slightly to keep her balance, as she glared wickedly at the Goblin King, his anger reflected by her own.

He seethed again, "Do you truly think _you_ can defeat _me_!"

The stones fell away to reveal a terrible darkness with swirling lights within it, Olivia could see flames licking at the edges of her vision, as if she and the king were in the centre of a hurricane. And yet, her feet remained grounded, and she stood firm.

With clenched fists she shouted back, "I am merely curious! But you have revealed far more of your inner thoughts than I ever considered!" She was playing with fire, she knew that, but what Jareth the Goblin King didn't know was that he was _also_ playing with fire, and one of them was bound to get burned.

He sneered furiously again, "I am not through with you girl, but when I am you shall know nothing but pain!"

Suddenly, he was in front of her, large gloved hand gripped around Olivia's throat and she was certain that he could feel her pulse beat rapidly. He constricted his grip, not enough to strangle but enough to hurt, and Olivia forced herself to ignore the spike of arousal in her core. She was getting threatened, and probably killed, _not_ receiving a sexual experience.

His placed his face close to hers, heterochromatic eyes burning into her, "All you love shall turn to dust in your mouth, I promise this, and when there is nothing left in this world or the next I will keep you, and when that happens you will no longer be _human_ ," he paused, "you will learn to love the pain I give you."

The king dropped her, and Olivia pushed herself up, coughing as the air returned to her burning lungs.

He looked back at her one last time, his voice a calm, silent threat, "And that is only if I let you live."

And then he disappeared in a shimmer of mist.

The girl was infuriating, and in his rage Jareth had utterly wrecked his private chambers and several goblins had mysteriously disappeared.

No amount of torment or shattered crystals calmed his terrible mood and it was when he was imagining the ways to destroy the girl did he recognise the niggling emotion that poked and prodded in his throat.

He _liked_ her.

She was cunning and clever, with a quick silver tongue and she displayed no childlike naivety that _others_ had.

He missed the most recent Sarah, the first one to beat his labyrinth out of hundred, there was no denying that. But she was a child and a child did not play the game like an adult did.

And while this Not-Sarah was infuriating with a temper to match his own, she also understood the game on an intrinsic level, one that no runner ever had.

To beat the labyrinth you had to _know_ the labyrinth, and the labyrinth was nothing without it's creator. The very essence of it was woven from his magic and as such he shall always be a part of it. And that was what Not-Sarah was doing, discovering his own weaknesses through that of his species.

It was clever, no runner had _ever_ attempted that.

And yet it infuriated him that he almost wanted her to venture forward so he could throw whatever trials he could think of at her and see how she fared. So far, she was doing brilliantly, and he doubted that even the oubliette he'd thrown her into would hinder her for long.

After all, she had almost won their first verbal battle.

But it was the game he lived for in his dull existence, and as Not-Sarah walked onward she walked onward to her doom. He was going to make her love him, fear him, and then when he had her willing, pretty, little throat in his hand he would crush her and watch the life leave her eyes.

 _Of course_ , the little voice in his mind whispered, _that is only if she doesn't destroy you first_.

He dismissed it.

* * *

Olivia was uncertain of how much time had passed when she spoke with the king, and she was convinced that was because he intended to distract her from her goal.

It seemed like a reasonable explanation for his strange interest.

And she was genuinly curious about the fae, even if the knowledge would benefit her in the long run, especially with his interesting reaction. That caused her to believe that she was right, the king couldn't directly lie to her, which was a very useful weapon in this battle they fought. She possessed the ability to lie, and though she wouldn't admit it she was very good at lying, and that was something he simply couldn't do.

Olivia just had to be very careful not to find herself in his debt or all hope of rescuing her nephew would crumble before her.

She grumbled again, rising as her eyes adjusted to the darkness that surrounded her and she had absolutely no idea how to get out of wherever it was he decided to throw her.

"Not a very gracious king..." Olivia mumbled, glaring at the flicker of light from above her, "And I hope you can hear me, you dickhead!" She shouted, her voice echoing around the small cave she was in. She was so annoyed that she even ignored the horrible smell that the cave permeatted.

Olivia didn't know if the king could hear her but she sorely hoped he could.

"I must be in an oubliette," she murmured to no one but herself, "there must be a way out..." but all that she could see was blackness and the small sliver of light that barely lit the oubliette at all. She had no torch, not even a lighter, but she should have...

Olivia frantically searched the big pockets of her coat and trousers but came up short. It was then that she remembered that she was carrying a small bag with her, barely big enough to hold her purse, but she never left her house without her phone so surely it must be in there?

She quickly felt for the bag and with a shout of success she unzipped the bag and fished around for her phone. Olivia's fingers closed around what felt like a plastic brick, taking comfort in the feel of something familiar, and she pulled it out.

Olivia felt for the lock button and grinned at the screen lit up, breathing hope and life back into her as she stared at the clock embalzoned across her homescreen. Time did not pass on it, still showing the hour that she had been swept away to the Underground.

The battery was at 50% though, so Olivia knew she would have to be sparing with her usage of it, especially has her phone charger was no where to be found.

She quickly entered her password and pressed the app for the flashlight, illuminating the area around her.

And she regretted it instantly.

Olivia screeched, her phone clattering to the cold ground as she stared in horror at the... _face_...that stared back at her.

It was not human, she knew that instantly, and as it regarded her with large black eyes it's fanged smile hovered in her view.

"Finally!" It shouted, raising it's long arms, "Some living company!"

The creature didn't seem hostile, and Olivia cautiously lowered herself to retrieve her phone when the creature bent nimbly and snatched it up off the ground before she got the chance.

"Nifty lil device that," it commented, "here ya go!" it's long fingers extended and dropped the phone into Olivia's waiting hand.

She eyed it, "Who are you?"

The creature laughed, long green hair flying about it's slim form, "I am Fern, a dryad, and you?"

Olivia gaped at Fern, "A dryad!? Seriously!?" she exclaimed.

Fern laughed once more, it seemed to do that a lot, and grinned maniacally at Olivia, "Of course I am! Look at me!"

She shrugged, pointing the light at Fern and inspecting it closely.

It was a he, though she wasn't certain but calling him 'it' felt wrong, and he was taller than her by at least a foot and a half. He appeared humanoid with a long slim figure and hair so green that she was certain she could get lost in it, his eyes were a deep, deep brown, not black like she first thought, and the pupils seemed to dilate at his will. Finally, his skin resembled beautiful light brown bark with curving dark brown lines, he was clothed in woven leaves and leather.

Olivia thought he was very beautiful.

"Admring me?" He said smugly, "Most do, but alas I've been locked away down her for a terribly long time with my only company the rotting corpses." he appeared glum but Olivia didn't comfort him, she was too focused on his words.

"Rotting corpses?" She said, finally understanding what the smell was, "Oh, that is disgusting,"

Fern nodded, "Indeed! But now you're here! So we can rot together!" He was gleeful at Olivia's arrival but she shook her head violently.

"Absolutely not!" She said, "We're getting out of here!"

The dryad didn't seem convinced, "Really? I've tried before but failed each time, really you might as well just sit down and wait for death..."

Olivia rolled her eyes, "So everyone keeps telling me, but I've got past every trial the king has thrown my way so I'm getting out, I have to save my nephew!"

She examined the cave, quickly diverting the light from the rotting corpses she glanced at. Skeletons were fine, they had no meat on their bones and barely resembled humans, but the recently deceased were something that bothered her tremendously. She supposed it was proof that she wasn't the only unfortunate soul to get lost in the labyrinth.

Fern seemed to perk up at her statement, "You're a Not-Sarah?"

She rolled her eyes again and marvelled at how they hadn't rolled out of her skull yet, "My name is Olivia, please use it." She examined the light above her.

The dryad giggled, "Of course, Olivia," she didn't hold back her surprise, "but it has been a very long time since a Not-Sarah visited the labyrinth."

She huffed, "I've been wondering about that, why is the fact that I'm a Not-Sarah so important?"

He walked beside and her and swiftly picked Olivia up and placed her on his shoulders. Olivia screeched in surprise, instantly tryng to steady herself again the wall in front of them.

"What was that for?!" She yelled.

Fern shrugged, and was quickly scolded for the jostling action, "You wanna look at that hole right? I've never been able to get up there alone,"

Olivia began to paw at the hole with her hands, dislodging dirt and plants in an attempt to make to hole bigger.

"So you gonna tell me about the whole Not-Sarah thing?" She asked as she worked.

Fern nodded enthusiastically, much to Olivia's chagrin,"Sure! There's only been a handful of Not-Sarahs to run the labyrinth and you've already made more progress than them so that's a good sign," he paused, seeming to consider his next word, "or bad? Maybe you're being led into a trap?"

"Thanks for telling me while I'm balancing on your shoulders," Olivia deadpanned, "not suspicious or anything."

The dryad laughed again, "Sorry!"

"And what about the Sarahs? I read a theory that there were others but I don't know, that was never confirmed." Olivia prodded.

Fern nodded again, and Olivia really wished he wouldn't, "You want to know the whole story? It's pretty long and I don't know if I even know all the details,"

Olivia shrugged this time, "It's gonna take me a while to dig so may as well," she moved another handful of dirt, "and you never know this information might come in use."

"Alright then, here's the short version," Fern said,

"In a time long, long ago a prince named Jareth fell in love with a girl named Sarah.

Sarah's father and step-mother would not let her marry Jareth because they wanted her to keep her, as a servant, to care for their other child.

In a fit of rage Jareth kidnapped this other child and spirited it away to the Underground. In this new world Jareth built a palace for his Sarah. He turned the spoiled child into a goblin, and kept it to be a servant.

Time in the Underground moves differently than in the human world. In the time it took for Jareth to build his kingdom, which he may have thought was little more than a few years, Sarah grew old and died.

Overcome by grief and addled by a lifetime spent in a strange world filled with monsters, Jareth went mad. He refused to believe that he has lost his love. He searched the mortal world from his castle, looking for her.

Sarah is a common human name, and has been in use for thousands and thousands of years. It did not take long for him to find a dark haired girl named Sarah, who had a younger sibling, and who felt that she was treated unfairly by her step mother.

In a fit of rage he kidnapped this other child and spirited it away to the Underground. Perhaps this new Sarah dies in the quest to find the child, perhaps she wins her sibling back and flees? No one is entirely sure anymore,

This is how Jareth became known as the Goblin King. Every goblin in the Goblin City is a child Jareth has stolen, who was not recovered by a Sarah..." Fern finished.

Olivia was silent for a time, "Poor guy..." she said, feeling sympathy for the Goblin King, "but he's still a dick."

Fern laughed, "This is why he builds the maze," he said, "he's been trying to elongate the time spent with each Sarah by setting up more elaborate traps, but he has a soft spot them, so the labyrinth isn't so harsh to them."

The girl considered his words, "Is that why my run is harder and darker? Because I'm not her?"

"Precisely," Fern confirmed, "but you are seeing the true labyrinth, it does not contort to your will because you are Not-Sarah."

"No," she agreed, "I'm not Sarah, but I am Olivia, and even if Jareth has a shitty past he will rue the day he pissed me off!" Olivia said ferociously, determination glittering in her eyes as the hole was finally made big enough for them both to crawl out of.

Fern giggled mischeviously, boosting Olivia up and she scrambled up, gaining purchase on the ground to lift Fern out too. He was surprising light, she noticed.

"What are you laughing about?" Olivia asked, stretching the kinks out of her body and waiting for her eyes to adjust to the light.

The dryad smiled toothily, "We haven't had any Olivia's yet, maybe it's time to change that,"

Olivia grinned back, feeling hope rise in her chest, "I'm going to the castle, fancy coming with me?"

Fern, for all his mischief, nodded with a big grin, curious to see how Olivia was going to beat King Jareth. But he didn't voice these thoughts, no one had come to help him out of that oubliette, and the others that had been trapped there had died. Except Olivia. It had only taken her under an hour to find their way out and Fern wondered if this was the beginning of something new, something _good._

The Underground needed to be shaken, and an earthquake was coming.


	3. Chapter 3

Fern made good company, Olivia found. He knew a broad range of songs and stories, and delighted in telling her all he could of the Underground.

She was still wary of him though, uncertain if she could truly trust the dryad, but so far he had given her no reason to be distrustful of his intentions. But wasn't that what the labyrinth excels in? She thought, things aren't always what they seem...

That phrase echoed around her mind constantly, though she knew the truth of the words she also knew that she ought to be wary of them too. Jareth didn't love her, in fact she was certain he was beginning to hate her, and if the labyrinth reflected his feelings then surely that did not bode well for her?

Again, Olivia wasn't certain of anything.

Fern didn't seem to mind that she would get lost in her own thoughts, he chattered away happily, occasionally stopping to point something of interest out to her, of course Fern's idea of interesting differed from Olivia's own, but it was the thought that counted she supposed.

The labyrinth was beginning to look less run down too, she noticed. In the section she passed before the walls, while still strong, were crumbling and appeared to be less than safe. Now, however, the labyrinth seemed to be flourishing, flowers and plants cascaded over beautiful archways of light sandstone and even the ever-changing pathways seemed less hostile to Olivia's sight.

Was it lulling her into a false sense of security?

Again, Olivia didn't know.

She was however grateful that she wasn't required to sing. That was one of her main concerns when she was whisked away to the Underground.

Olivia was a horrible singer.

At first she wasn't aware of the light flickering music that resounded around the labyrinth but when Fern had sung it became louder and ever since then Olivia was faintly aware of the melody humming in the background, almost like she was listening to a song from another room.

But she supposed that it mattered little, her only goal was to find her nephew and get out before it was to late.

Olivia groaned as she came upon another dead end and looked at her watch.

Four hours had passed so far, meaning she only had eight to get to the centre and rescue her nephew. She thoroughly believed Jareth when he said that he'd basically torture her. There was nothing about him and his demeanor that would suggest otherwise, and even if there was Olivia couldn't be certain it wasn't a trick to trap her.

Perhaps he is lonely? An errant thought suggested, the compassionate part of Olivia that tried to find the good in everyone, even when there was no good to be found. Yet still, she couldn't help but hope, but there was no way Olivia would allow her compassion to overrule her desperation to save her nephew. Even if that meant giving herself up to Jareth if she failed.

Olivia shivered at even the mere thought. She couldn't believe she used to fancy him as a teenager, even if he does exude sex appeal. She quickly pushed that thought away.

"Look!" Fern said excitedly from beside her, his long arm stretching to the castle high above them, "We're almost there!"

This was the fifth time he'd said that and Olivia didn't have the heart to tell him that they always appeared to be 'nearly there', no doubt another trick from the labyrinth's mind games, and that they couldn't rely on the castle to be a landmark.

However, Fern was a lot taller than her, and perhaps she could...

Olivia turned to her new friend, "Could you lift me up to see beyond the wall?" She asked, hope shining in her eyes.

The dryad almost seemed taken aback before he grinned once more, "Absolutely!" And with little effot he hoisted Olivia back onto his shoulders.

And it worked, Olivia could just see over the tall walls of the labyrinth! She shouted in glee, fist pumping in the air before scanning the horizon for a way through the maze.

It was then she caught sight of something that she really didn't want to see.

In the distance was a masssive, hulking minotaur.

"Oh shit..." Olivia whispered, instantly catching Fern's attention, who shifted slightly, causing Olivia to yelp in shock and scramble for purchase on his slim shoulders, gaze diverting from the minotaur.

"What is it?" He asked, worry lining his face as he looked up at her.

Olivia patted his head gently to ease his distress, "We're gonna have to be careful," she whispered, "I can see a minotaur,"

The dryad tensed beneath her and his large eyes widened comically, fear evident on his handsome face as he regarded her.

"This is bad," he whispered, brows lowered over his brown eyes, "there's only one minotaur in the labyrinth and it's the only thing to keep the beast wandering. If it finds us..." he trailed off but Olivia caught his meaning.

She gulped, "We're dead right?"

Fern shivered again, "Worse than dead," he said ominously, "if it catches our scent we'll never lose it and you reek of human."

Olivia frowned indiginantly, hands on her hips, "I do not reek, and it's not my fault I'm the only human around for miles."

"It's not bad!" Fern said hastily, "it's just...noticable, like roses!"

She rolled her eyes and remarked sarcastically, "Nice save there."

"Is it still there?" Fern whispered in regards to the minotaur while adjusting his hold on Olivia's legs.

She shrugged, gingerly turning her eyes back to look at where she last saw the beast.

In retrospect, Olivia wished that she and Fern simply had carried on their way at first sight, that they hadn't stopped to have a small conversation about her apparently noticable scent, and that they had paid more attention to the minotaur.

The minotaur that was staring directly at Olivia.

"He's looking at me," she whispered to Fern, eyes wide and heart hammering in her chest. Her sweat had turned cold as the minotaur glared at her with his beady black eyes, deep puffs of breath leaving his nostrils.

Fern swore, causing Olivia to blink in surprise, and the second she lost eye contact with the minotaur it roared ferociously. It boomed across the labyrinth and Fern lost his footing as the ground shook beneath them.

Olivia screeched, falling to the ground with a thump but she found no reprieve as Fern was instantly at her side, pulling her up and sprinting off, grip tight on her wrist.

Distantly, Olivia could hear the thundering clopping footsteps of the minotaur, punctuated by the roars that ripped through the air.

Frantically, she searched her mind for any information she knew about minotaurs but all she could come up with as the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur, who coincidentally had fought in a labyrinth, but she couldn't remember how he beat the beast. Even then, Theseus was a Greek myth, and Olivia was a real woman.

Running seemed like the best bet, and she was thankful that Fern had the commonsense to reach that conclusion first.

The only issue, other than the terrifying beast pursuing them, was that Fern was just running way in any direction, not running away towards the castle.

Olivia halted to a stop, grounding herself to avoid being dragged by Fern, and the dryad looked at her incredulously.

"What?" He said, out of breath and scared for his life.

She swallowed, "We're running away from the castle."

The dryad rolled his eyes, "We have bigger problems at the moment!" He shouted, and right on cue another roar broke out through the labyrinth, this time closer than before.

Olivia jumped at the sound but steeled herself, "I have to get to the centre, regardless of whether or not I'm being chased by a minotaur." She really hated how her life had come to this, and all because the mother of her nephew couldn't keep his big mouth shut.

Fern sighed dramatically, pulling his long hair over his face and tugging harshly. Olivia pulled a face, wondering if such an action actually hurt him.

Silence fell over the duo, even the birds weren't chirping and the wind didn't blow and Olivia assumed that the looming prescence of the minotaur scared all other life away, just as it should've done her, but she had a mission to complete.

Finally, Fern spoke, "We might be able to trick it," he said, albeit reluctantly, "but you're going to have to strip,"

"What?!" She screeched before being quickly quieted by Fern, the minotaur was still near them after all.

The dryad grinned impishly, "I'm joking," Olivia smacked his arm in response, "but we can use an article of your clothing to throw off your scent, that'll be what it's tracking."

Olivia nodded, "Sounds good, it is getting a little warmer now I guess," she reasoned.

Fern frowned, "Yes, I noticed that too, The Underground is always so cold after a Sarah leaves or dies,"

She was intrigued, "Really? Is the weather affected by Jareth?"

"Somewhat, his temperment does make a difference," The dryad winked, nudging Olivia suggestively, "you must be making an impact on him."

Olivia rolled her eyes, grunting in irritation, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure he wants to kill me." she deadpanned.

Fern shrugged, helping her out of her coat, "Still, he's always so mean after an encounter with a Sarah, at least those frustrations are directed somewhere else now."

She barked out a laugh, "Your bedside manner is terrible, how do you know all this anyway?" Olivia was genuinly curious, Fern seemed to be around her age, at least in human terms, but his knowledge seemed to far surpass that. Well, at least it did when he so chose.

The dryad grinned mysteriously, "The trees speak loudly, I hear them all the time,"

"Wait, what?" Olivia said, lifting her shirt and rubbing her coat over her skin, she hoped that some of her sweat would linger on the material and smell strongly of her, unpleasant as it was.

Fern took the coat after she was finished and nimbly climbed the tree they stood beside. His body moved deftly and almost instantly, Olivia lost sight of him, he was camoflaged within the leaves and although his appearance gave tell of his otherworldy nature it was when he did things like this that Olivia truly saw how inhuman Fern actually was. She marvelled at it, and at him.

He jumped back down and instantly wrapped his warm, long limbs around her, nuzzling his face against hers.

Olivia tensed in shock, taken aback by his affectionate gesture.

"Uhh," she said dumbly, "what're you doing?"

"Scenting you," the dryad said as if it was the most obviously thing in the world, "it'll make it harder for the minotaur to smell you this way," he explained. Olivia let out a sigh of relief.

It wasn't that she disliked affection, she liked it quite a lot actually, but the suddenness and intimacy that Fern was exuding was a little startling.

"I guess that makes sense," she conceded, standing awkwardly as the dryad continued scenting her, "you do this a- uugghhhh!" She grimaced as a long green tongue swiped around her neck, she could feel Fern laughing at her as he carried on.

Eventually he stopped and Olivia was reminded of tree sap when she felt his saliva on her neck.

"Human taste gooooood." He said, winking cheekily at her.

Olivia rolled her eyes, walking past him and around another corner, trying to get as far away from her coat as possible. She was still a little peeved that she had to give up her comfy coat to evade a minotaur but the alternative was less than pleasing.

She stretched languidly, "Know how to defeat a minotaur by any chance?"

Fern shook his head, "Unfortunately not, well, except..." he trailed off, reluctant to tell her.

Olivia frowned, "Except what?" Still, Fern did not answer, "Fern," she said sternly, "tell me." she implored.

The dryad raised his eyes to Olivia's and spoke with a slight waver in his voice, "There is the Aegis Sword, old and powerful, hidden deep within the labyrinth 'behind the veil of certain death', or at least that's what I've heard,"

Her brows shot into her hairline, "A sword? That sounds useful..."

The dryad nodded, "None but the one chosen by the labyrinth can wield it," he said uncomfortably, "and all that have tried have been found unworthy."

"So it's like Thor's hammer?" She asked.

Fern looked confused, "Who's Thor?"

"Doesn't matter," she said, "how does the labyrinth choose the worthy?"

"I don't know, no one does." He said.

Olivia sighed and dropped the subject, it was clearly making Fern uncomfortable so she decided not to push it. She doubted that she'd even be able to reach the sword anyway.

"Any ideas where to go next?" She asked Fern, hoping that his apparent communication with trees, which she honestly doubted a little, would enlighten him to a path that she could not see.

He considered her words for a time, arm bent to support his other one as he stroked his chin with his hand, "There is a shortcut we could take?" He said, Olivia's attention snapping to him, "But if we mess it up then we really mess up."

"Tell me about it." Olivia requested, stopping in her walking to listen fully to Fern, the dryad seem to appreciate her undivided attention.

Fern smiled, "There are these two doors, one leads to the centre of the labyrinth and the other-"

"to certain death?" Olivia interrupted.

The dryad looked surprised, "You know of it?"

She nodded, "A little, the doors are guarded, right? One of them lies and one of them tells the truth?"

Fern grinned, "Yeah! Let's go there!" He grasped her hand and pulled her along, Olivia supposed she was going to have to get used to Fern dragging her places.

They walked for a little longer, Olivia's feet were beginning to ache and she kept anxiously checking her watch every few minutes or so. She had no idea how close they were to the door guards and every time she asked Fern he'd always respond with a simple "soon", a small, niggling thought entered her mind wondering if Fern was leading her astray but she squashed it. He'd been nothing but kind and helpful to her and he even had lifted her spirits with lighthearted banter. It was like being with a friend again, she mused.

"Do you have any idea how to find them?" She asked again, tired of their aimless walking.

"Find who?"

Olivia whipped around, stopping Fern in his tracks as she looked for the source of the mysterious voice.

She came face to face with what she assumed were the door guards, two of them to a shield with one above and one below. They were funny looking, as were most creatures in the labyrinth, and they regarded her with curiosity.

"Find you!" She said with a big grin.

She saw two carved doors in the wall, and a guard posted in front of each door. At least, she thought they must be guards, since they stood foursquare and were emblazoned with armor, and they appeared similar to the ones in the film.

But as she studied them she was not so sure. They were quite unusual, really. Their enormous shields, which were strangely patterned with geometrical figures and scrolls and devices, looked unbearably heavy, which would account for the straddle-legged stance each of them had.

That must be most unpleasant, she thought, to have to position themselves like that just to stay upright.

She'd have to give them names, at least mentally, she decided for the sake of telling them apart while she worked out the annoying riddle they'd no doubt give her.

The one to her left had suspicious looking eyes beneath the visor of his helmet, and she decided that she would call him Iago, after her favourite antagonist in Shaekspeare's writings, but then she noticed his not-quite-identical twin to her right, and she couldn't see his eyes at all because his helmet was too big for him, should therefore bare the name Niago, standing for Not-Iago, so she wasn't the only one to be given another's not-name.

Now to name the others, she thought, the ones below.

They were upside down and Olivia thought that the position would be terribly uncomfortable with all the blood rushing to their heads, and it was because of that she named them Bat, for their incessant need to hang upside down, and Not-Bat, to carry on the tradition of not-names.

"Looking for me?" Iago said,

"No!" Interrupted Niago, "They're looking for me!"

"No me!" Said Bat,

"Nope, they're after me," chimed Not-Bat,

Olivia was already imagining the headache she was going to get after this encounter, she peeked a quick glance at Fern and noticed that he was grinning stupidly.

Of course, she thought sourly, of course he's enjoying this.

"Alright," Olivia said, ready to stop this trainwreck in its tracks, "I'm trying to get to the centre of the labyrinth." straight forward and to the point, leaving little room for argument.

Iago grinned, "Thought so!"

"Who thought? She thought?" Bat said, looking at Iago.

"No, I thought!" Niago said and Olivia sighed heavily.

"No," she interrupted their squabbling, "it doesn't matter who thought what-"

Not-Bat decided to add in, "if it doesn't matter then why think thoughts on who thought what when none thought to think!"

Olivia rolled her eyes, muttering curses under her breath as the guards all laughed at her irritation. She pointedly ignored Fern's latent amusement.

"Try one of the doors," suggested Bat.

"One of them leads to the castle," Not-Bat told her in a cheerful voice, "and the other one leads to certain death."

Olivia frowned, "Can you tell me which is which please?"

Bat shook his upside-down head, "nope,"

"Why not?" She asked, though she already knew why, she was seeing if they'd tell the truth or get the others to do it.

"We don't know!" Not-Bat crowed triumphantly.

"But they do," Bat nodded confidentially at Iago and Niago. Olivia almost applauded them for thir apparent neck contortionism

"Alright then," she said slowly, turning her gaze expectantly to the two above.

Before she could say anything more, Niago was speaking in a very slow, pedantic voice. "Ah! No, you can't ask us. You can ask only one of us." He appeared to have difficulty in getting the words out at all, his reluctance an indicator for scrambling for words.

"It's in the rules." Iago's voice came fast and sneering, and at the same time his eyes shifted uneasily. He was tapping a finger on some ciphers on his shield, Olivia assumed them to be letters that detailed the rules.

"And I think I should warn you that one of us always tells the truth, and one of us always lies. That's a rule, too." His glance flickered at Niago. "He always lies."

"Don't listen to him," Iago said, quickly. "He's lying. I'm the one who tells the truth." Olivia rolled her eyes again, that's exactly something Iago would say, she thought.

"That's a lie!" Niago retorted.

Bat and Not-Bat were snickering behind their shields rather insolently, she thought.

"You see," Bat told Olivia, "even if you ask one of them, you won't know if the answer you get is true or false."

"I've heard this riddle before," Olivia stated, frowning in thought, "but I couldn't work it out then..."

She heard Iago muttering to himself, "he's lying."

"He's lying," Niago snapped back.

Olivia was scratching her head, "there's one question I can ask and it doesn't matter which one of them I ask it." Her brows rose as she thought up an idea, "is that only one question about the labyrinth or one question in total?"

"Hurryp up, Not-Sarah," Bat said tetchily, "we can't stand around here all day."

She narrowed her eyes, "You can and you will." she replied in annoyance.

"She's right," Not-Bat snapped, "that's our purpose. We're gatekeepers."

"Oh, yes. I forgot."

Olivia rolled her eyes again but she was thinking of a cunning way to phrase her question to catch them out.

Iago replied to her question, "You only get one answer about the labyrinth, otherwise there would be no use in standing here."

"Oh," Olivia said, "I get it."

"I tell the truth," Iago declared pedantically, from under his helmet.

"Ooh!" Niago retorted, "What a lie!"

Olivia glanced back at Fern, "Wanna chime in?" she asked.

The dryad grinned at her, "Definitely not, this is far too amusing to watch!" He declared gleefully, earning a glare from Olivia.

"Alright!" She said loudly, gaining all of their attention, "Answer me this," she said, finger pointed in the air, "what is two plus two?"

They stood looking at her dumbfounded before Iago blurted out his answer, "Eighty-four!"

"Four!" Niago said.

Olivia laughed at them, they appeared disgruntled with themselves and she could hear Fern clapping behind her.

"That was clever," Iago conceded, "haven't seen a runner try that before, not even a Sarah."

She grinned at him, "Yeah, well, no offense, but the Sarah I've seen wasn't exactly...smart," she said, crossing her arms, "but she's only a kid so I guess I'll give her a break."

Olivia turned to address Niago, "So," she began with a confident smile, "which door leads to the castle?"

Before he could answer, a loud piercing roar echoed around the labyrinth once more.

The guards looked nervous.

"You met the minotaur?" Bat asked, clearly worried about the situation.

Olivia nodded, "Unfortunately, trouble seems to find me, especially in this place." she said, pulling at her choppy hair with anxious movement. Fern laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Well, you better hurry then," Niago said, "this door leads to certain death and the other one leads to the castle."

She grinned, looking at Fern in excitement proudly. He smiled back.

Iago made to move out of the way, but Olivia held her hand up, "I'm not going through that one," she said.

The silence was thick and deafening, interrupted only by Fern's furious voice, "What?" he ground out through his clenched teeth.

Olivia looked at him firmly, "Certain death? I'm going after the Aegis Sword." She said resolutely, "You can either come with me or stay here."

"Oooohh," Niago said, "you're a courageous one, Not-Sarah." He grinned mischeviously. The other guards murmured in agreement.

Niago moved out of the way, the heavy door swinging open.

It revealed a dark corridor, purple mist spilling out of it and coiling around Olivia's ankles, she couldn't see in it properly, but she could see the reflecting of eyes, like a cats. Olivia shivered as voices whispered gently to her, trying to pull her into the welcoming darkness.

She heard Fern suck in a deep breath behind her before cursing, his hand placed on her shoulder.

"This is where I leave you," he said sadly, "but I cannot follow in there, you won't come back out if you go." Olivia could see unshed tears shining in his eyes.

She leaned up, wrapping her short arms around his slim body, "I won't die," she whispered, smiling up at him, "but the minotaur will."

Fern wanted to believe her, but he'd seen far too many people die in search of the Aegis Sword, and as he watched Olivia walk to her death he felt heavy in the heart.

Miles away, a crystal smashed against a stone wall, the face of a young woman fading in its reflection.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please please please review! I hate begging for reviews but I really want to know what you guys think of everything, especially if you have any ideas as to what's in store for Olivia and co. as the story progresses.
> 
> Btw this section Olivia is stuck in is inspired by the Catacombs of Carthus from Dark Souls 3.
> 
> I'm trying to make it different from the movie because I always thought that the movie was relative to Sarah and her experience, also Olivia is an adult not a kid (and those who say that 15 is an adult age are babies yourself, c'mon you're not even legal) so she'd respond differently to the situations she finds herself in
> 
> also im writing this because I think the labyrinth fandom is severely lacking in good oc stories and that saddens me because they can be amazing if done correctly, of course thats just my opinion and if any writers are reading this then dont stop! If you're not confident in your work then write and write until you have something you're proud of! I recently read over my ouran fanfic and cringed at it because ive improved so much! And you will too! JUST DO IT!
> 
> anywho, enjoy!  
> \----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Olivia severely missed Fern.

The door had slammed shut behind her, instantly shrouding her in darkness. It was suffocating, Olivia thought as she hesitantly walked through the narrow hallway with her arms stretched out to feel the way.

She could hear sinister whispers behind her, but every time she turned and squinted into the darkness they followed her movement, always just behind her. The most unsettling thing though was not the shapes she saw out of the corner of her eye, nor was it the sound of scuttling around her, no, the scariest thing was how her hair moved with the unnatural breeze, it was almost reminiscent of someone breathing directly behind her.

Olivia shivered and wished she still had her coat, even if she gave it up for a good reason. She clutched her denim jacket to her, cursing the crop top she was wearing beneath it, even the leather of her high waisted trousers were too thin for the cold wind.

She wondered if Jareth knew where she was, what she was after. But she doubted that he held that much interest in her, she was Not-Sarah after all.

The wind howled as it rushed down the corridor, sweeping past Olivia and making her hair fly rapidly. She sucked in a deep breath, a great sense of forboding overcoming her.

Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea, she thought, I can't save Jeremy if I'm dead... but she also knew that the minotaur would chase her to the ends of the earth, and if she turned up at Jareth's castle with not only the mintaur's head but also the Aegis Sword? There was no way he could stop her taking Jeremy , and even if he tried Olivia would fight til her very last breath.

Jareth probably knew that, he was probably betting on it, Olivia thought.

Olivia wasn't certain for how long she walked and in the darkness she couldn't see her watch and therefore had no way of telling, she didn't want to risk using her phone either, just in case she alerted her prescence even more so to the creatures that dwelled in this darkness.

Suddenly, a large screech echoed throughout the corridor, and Olivia felt her heart freeze in her chest and her breath trapped in her lungs.

She stayed still, very still, straining her ears to detect any other sound in the corridor. She was blind in this darkness, and had to rely on her other senses.

Olivia felt the hair raise on her arms, heart hammering, and she stifled a violent shudder when she felt something warm and furry brush passed her.

Swallowing thickly, Olivis peered down and saw reflective eyes staring back at her.

Whatever the creature was, Olivia assumed it to be catlike in appearance from what little she had felt and the reflective eyes, it didn't seem to be hostile and she couls hear it purring.

Stifling her fear once more, Olivia extended her fingers and was greeted by a large furry head nuzzling into her palm. It was warm and she desperately wished she could see whatever creature was receiving an impromptu rub.

She flexed her fingers and found a large mane of hair surrounding the creature's head, so Olivia decided that she would refer to it as a lion until suggested otherwise.

And then, the lion began to walk forward, Olivia following as her fingers tightened in his mane, and her footsteps were the only ones to echo around them. The lion made no sound other than the purring.

"Where are we going?" Olivia whispered, but she received no response, at least not one she could understand.

They continued walking, and she noticed that the wind had stopped, and so had the whispers that had accompanied her when she was alone. It was almost as if the lion was guarding her from the horrors that dwelt in the corridor.

And then, there was light.

It was small, and dim, and faintly blue, but it was light nonetheless and it filled Olivia with hope and curiosity. She still had no idea how long she spent in the dark, but she knew that it was too long and she desperately wanted to stand in the light again.

She sped up her pace, the lion matching her and soon the two were running towards the light, but with every step she took, Olivia felt that the light was getting farther and farther away from her. It was slipping from her, like she was trying to grasp smoke, and her breathing quickened as anxiety bloomed in her chest.

The light was almost miniscule now and Olivia was sprinting, the lion had stopped purring, keeping up with the human with ease. Smaller and smaller the light shrunk, tears flew from Olivia's eyes as she pushed her burning muscles to move faster, harder.

Suddenly, she found herself of the lion's back as he bounded through the corridor. She leaned low to his body, hands tightly gripping his mane to stop herself from falling and Olivia realised just how high up she was. The lion must've been larger than the ones she had seen on earth.

They were moving much, much faster now, and Olivia could see the light at the end of the corridor gorwing larger.

She grinned and with one final leap, the lion ran into the light.

It was as if they had jumped through glass, sheer crystals shattering around them as they broke through. Olivia flew from the lion's back with the force and rolling onto the ground heavily, she could feel grass and dirt beneath her.

Olivia rubbed her head and groaned in pain. She hadn't landed nicely, but she could hear the chirping of birds and knew that there was light from behind her closed eyes.

Gingerly, she lifted her head, still sitting on the ground, and then opened her eyes.

It was magnificent, that what what she saw. Magnificent, ethereal, beautiful, effervescent, exquisite, and completely and utterly magical.

Olivia was in the middle of a grove surrounded by towering trees that blocked out the sun with their green canopy. Shards of crystal seemed frozen in the air, emitting the pale blue light that she had seen, and flowers of all kinds sprouted bountifully from the beautiful ground.

The most magnificent thing, however, was the pedestal in the centre of the grove, surrounded by a small lake, with a sword mounted in the pale pedestal. Olivia had found it, she was certain, she had found the Aegis Sword.

Slowly, Olivia stood, too amazed at the sight to pay much attention to the lion, which was definitely a large male lion and had the blackest fur, as he lounged on the grass and drank from the lake.

She approached the lake, stopping at it's shore, and Olivia could hear the sword hum, almost oblivious to the writhing thorned vines that wrapped around it.

It was calling to her, mesmerising her, pulling her in with its song. Olivia was helpless to resist and even if she was she would not, the song spoke power and hope; a way to defeat the minotaur and save her nephew.

But did she even want to save her nephew? The sword promised her a life beyond the mortal coil, she would rise above all others and rule as a god, benevolent and loving, not dark but beautiful and terrible! All those that stood against her would rue the day they wronged her!

Olivia was so entranced that by the sword that she didn't notice every step she took, nor did she notice the water that swirled around her boots. It was a lagoon blue and stuck to her like a gelatinous fluid.

Her arm reached forward and as soon as Olivia's fingers touched the sword's hilt she realised her mistake.

The vines suddenly shot out, wrapping themselves around her arm and the thorns ripped her jacket, tugging and pulling then dug into her skin. Olivia screamed, vainly trying to pull her arms back but it was no use, she was already well in the grasp.

She kept tugging, the sword was singing again but Olivia resolutely ignored it, she distantly wondered where her lion friend had gone but then she considered the possibility that he was never her friend to begin with, that he had been sent to lure her into the terrible trap.

The vines contstricted again and Olivia gasped, eyes wide.

The grove around her shattered, the crystal shards falling like rain, and Olivia found herself in a new darker place.

It was a catacomb of sorts, skeletons littered the dirty ground everywhere, and she grimaced at the foul stench.

This place was dark and horrible, and still the sword would not let her go.

The vines receded from the ground, more of them winding around Olivia's wrist, forcing her to hold the hilt tightly but still she tried to pull back.

It took little effort, and Olivia went tumbling back with the force. She landed heavily against the ground, groaning at the pain and she looked to her right hand.

The sword was still there, the thorny vines molding to her arm and Olivia knew that there was no way she could release the sword.

Was this the certain death? To desire the sword so much that you can never stop holding it? Olivia didn't know, but she still had one hand free and decided that she must continue forward.

She stood, using the sword for support, and surveyed her surroundings.

The cave was definitely dark, lit only by a few archaic torches, and Olivia felt a shiver run down her spine, pointedly ignoring the skeletons of both creature and man. Tall, dilapidated pillers rose from the ground and connected to a high bridge above her, and she could see chains swinging over the edges. Every now and then, a few bits of brick crumbled to the ground.

"Oh shit..." Olivia muttered, deciding that standing beneath the bridge might not end well.

To her left she noticed a large crack in the cave wall that appeared to lead to a tunnel. It was the only way out that she could see, so Olivia swallowed by her fear, checked her watch again, she had six hours left now, and started walking through the tunnel.

It was eerily silent, especially as the bones suggested that she wasn't the only one to be there, and her feet echoed loudly with every step. Olivia was tense, waiting for some monsters to leapt out of the shifting shadows and snatch her away.

Or kill her, that was more likely, she thought.

Eventually, Olivia exited the tunnel into another cave-like area, only this time more structural and there were candles lighting the place, accompanied by more bones. Olivia was getting sick of the amount of bones she was seeing, and she briefly wondered if they would create a mist and try to drag her down with them like last time. The thought made her walk quicker, and she tightened her grip on the sword as much as the vines would allow.

That was another thought she had, the sword had appeared heavy and yet she had no trouble holding it. Her arm did not ache, her muscles did not complain, and Olivia assumed that it had something to do with the vines supporting her.

And the the ground shifted, a grating sound that she cringed at, and Olivia grimaced as the bones in front of her began to move, sliding towards each other before stacking up to form a skeleton.

She gulped as it stretched it's bones, eyes widening as a nasty looking sword flew into its hand. Olivia hoped she wouldn't have to fight it.

The skeleton lumbered forward, and Olivia took a step back.

It seemed to regard her sinisterly, its toothy grin opening to let out a ghastly screech that caused her to clap her hand, and vined fist, to her ears. She squeezed her eyes shut, and her heart beat erratically in her chest.

She couldn't move, she realised with stricken panic.

The skeleton raised it's sword and Olivia's breath froze in her chest, preparing for the final blow that would no doubt would end her life.

And then, something amazing happened.

Unbidden, her right arm flew up and the Aegis Sword sliced right through the skeleton's sword, the blade falling either side of her, and crashing down upon the skeleton who collasped in a heap on the ground again, unmoving.

She stood stock still, the reality of the sword's power hitting her like a truck.

The Aegis Sword just sliced through thick metal like it was nothing, doing the same with bone and killing something that was already dead.

She shifted, looking at the sword with awe, when she heard a chuckle from behind her.

Olivia whipped around, Aegis Sword held aloft to kill whatever had startled her, and came face to face with the last person she wanted to see.

Jareth was smirking at her, eyes staring in her soul before slowly gliding to the Aegis Sword in her hands. Olivia thought he'd be angry, he was always angry with her, but amusment played on his face instead, mirth in his eyes.

"Hello, Not-Sarah," he said, head cocked playfully.

Olivia eyed him warily, "Hello," she replied, slightly lowering the sword.

He sauntered forward, cloak fluttering behind him majestically, before stopping directly in front of her and breathing in deeply.

Jareth's eyebrows lowered, mouth pinched, before he snatched her collar and dragged her towards him.

Olivia yelped and went to slash at him with the sword, but the vines tightened around her arm and forced her to remain unmoving. She gasped at the pain, the thorns biting into her.

He must've heard her gasp, Olivia knew, but she didn't get time to ruminate on the thought as he pulled her even closer and gently settled his nose between the junction of her neck and collar bone, inhaling deeply.

Olivia was in so much shock of his close proximity, and the nice scent radiating from him, that she remained paralysed for a time.

And then the shock passed and indiginance set in.

"What the fuck are you doing?!" She yelled, trying to wriggle free, but it was no use, his grasp was too strong.

Soon his other arm settled around her waist, pulling her even closer and Olivia felt incredibly violated by his actions. And embarrassed. And a little bit excited.

She violently fought back her last thought.

He was stronger than her, strange for how slim he was, and the more Olivia fought the tighter his grip became, reminiscent of the Aegis Sword's vines, and eventually she just stopped fighting, her scowling face a deep red flush that climbed down to her chest, and let him breath her in.

And then he let her go, an unreadable expression on his handsome face.

"So that is how you evaded the minotaur," Jareth said, and suddenly things made sense to Olivia, "you got the dryad to scent you."

Olivia snorted in irritation, "That's what you were doing?" She was a little affronted, "Trying to acertain how I escaped?"

He grinned again, "It had been playing on my mind," he admitted, "not many successfully flee the minotaur, and when I received word that you were looking for the Aegis Sword my curiousity was piqued."

"You were stalking me." Olivia said sourly, and the compassionate part of her mind gently reminded her that he was lonely and probably lacked social skills.

Jareth laughed, she liked the sound she begrudgingly realised, and crossed his arms, leaning against a crumbling pillar.

He smirked again, "Stalk is a strong word, and why wouldn't I take interest in the one that walks my labyrinth?"

"Because I'm not Sarah?" She responded dryly.

Jareth chuckled again, "A technicality, I'm sure,"

He's awfully playful, Olivia thought, for someone who promised to kill me last time, but she regarded him silently, and the two stared at each other for a time.

"And what have you discovered?" Olivia asked, a little unsure she wanted to know the real answer.

His smirked was ever-present, "That sword is going to kill you," he said, gesturing to the Aegis Sword, "it had never been wielded, the thorns are steadily releasing a poison into your bloodstream as we speak."

Olivia bristled at his words, heart beating faster, "You aren't lying," she said.

He shook his head, "I cannot, but I do have a cure," Olivia was waiting for the inevitable punchline, "but I need something in return, a favour for a favour if you will."

"And what are the conditions?" She knew of fae games, and intended not to make the mistake most humans do.

Jareth strolled around her leisurely, Olivia turning to keep him in her sights, as he looked her up and down with a smirk.

"You are a clever one," he commented with an appraising eye, "most mortals just take without question."

Olivia smirked this time, "I'm not 'most mortals'," she said.

"No, you're not, I can't decide if you're brave or stupid," that was the insult she was waiting for, Olivia felt more comfortable now that he was back to being cruel.

But she was enjoying this game, even if she shouldn't be, "Perhaps both, perhaps neither," she said, and noticed that while this was the tamest conversation they ever had, it was also the most perilous one. One wrong word and Olivia could owe a debt to the most dangerous man she had ever met.

A part of her, larger than she would've liked, was excited by the prospect.

She squashed the feeling down.

Jareth was also enjoying their time together, much to his surprise, and he found himself almost wishing that Olivia didn't have to fail, didn't have to die, she was highly amusing, and the only person to have ever truly challenged him.

Sarah, his subconscious whispered, Sarah had challenged him. But like Olivia pointed out, Sarah was just a child, a child who didn't realise the danger and horror she had faced. Olivia did though, and still she stood tall and offered him competition.

It was exhilarating, to have someone like that in his life.

And then the feeling, the thought, tasted sour in his mouth and suddenly Jareth wished he had never met her, because Olivia was making him feel things he hadn't felt in a long, long time, and the prospect was just enough to push him to push her harder.

"Give up your nephew," he said, and knew that she wouldn't take it.

True to his expectation, Olivia shook her head fiercly, "Never." she all but spat out.

"Then defeat the minotaur and to present me its head," he offered with a sly smirk. He almost didn't believe she could do it, but Olivia had exceeded all of his expectations so far, and he was far too curious to see if she could handle such a task.

Olivia steeled herself, the change visible to Jareth who smirked once more.

"Challenge accepted," she said.

Jareth clapped, "Good," he replied before disappearing into ethereal mist, leaving Olivia alone in the catacombs.

The Goblin King relaxed in his bath, the large circular tub was inlaid into the stone floor and decorated with precious stones. Candles lit the dim bathroom, reflected in the crystal held in his gloveless hand as he watched his new interest.

No one had ever managed to best the minotaur, just as no had ever managed to grasp the Aegis Sword. But Olivia had, and this was enough to spark a new feeling, an old feeling, that settled in his bones and slowly began to spread.

Jareth was scared to see where it would lead, and fear wasn't something he was usually comfortable with, but this time it was accompanied by excitement.

Surely he'd be disappointed if she failed, if she died, but he reasoned that if she did die then his disappointment would be well deserved, if annoying.

There really was no telling how Olivia would progress, he just hoped that if she did defeat the minotaur then maybe, just maybe, he might be able to trick her into staying. If she defeated the minotaur then that meant that she was the one the labyrinth had chosen to wield the Aegis Sword, the Champion of the Labyrinth, and such a person would be a poweful ally.

Jareth had a lot of enemies, and Olivia could potentially destroy them all.

And, he thought, she's not that hard on the eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> IDK if you guys have read my other stuff but there are some parallels between this story and my lotr fanfic the Charred. Similar concept but I like playing around with things liek this and that's exactly what fanfic is for imo

Olivia skulked through the catacombs with a sullen disposition, striking down enemies that dare stood against her and the Aegis Sword.

The sword was a marvel; working with Olivia in a way she had never experienced before. Her movements were intuitive and precise, the deadly way in which she fought was unparalleled despite never really having wielded a sword in her life.

It was terrifying, she knew this, and yet it was as if the sword held a power over her she could not name. Like a drug addict without acknowledging her addiction, she wondered if the sword was helping her or using her.

Her mind constantly strayed to Jareth's warning, and his offer, so Olivia assumed that the sword had been linked to her and that was why she had gained this unnatural ability.

An omen for sure, Olivia knew that such a thing must come with a heavy price beyond what Jareth had said. She wondered if the souls she had sent back to the grave, for the skeletons must be powered by something, were connected.

Her musings were interrupted once again by an overly zealous pack of raging skeletons, once again dispatched by the Aegis Sword.

She could feel the thorned vines tighten every time she tried to resist or make a move the sword did not approve of and reasoned that she might as well just go along with it until she had slain the minotaur.

That was another concerning thought of hers. Before, defeating the minotaur was always optional, even if her survival chances dwindled with its living, but now she had to kill it or she would die also, especially as Jareth wouldn't just hand her the antidote.

Not exactly her preferred manner of living but Olivia knew better than to look a gift fae in the mouth, especially as she believed Jareth's bite would be worse than his bark.

She thought of her nephew frequently too. Olivia wondered how he was being treated in the Goblin City, making a mental note to enquire to Jareth about it the next time they spoke, and they would speak again, that was the one thing she could be certain of in this place of ambiguity.

It was funny, she mused, that the only thing she could be certain of in this strange land was it's strange king's reactions.

Jareth would probably be incensed if she mentioned it to him.

Olivia smirked, making another mental note to tell him of her certainty.

Another skeleton downed and Olivia realised that she was going in circles around the dreaded catacombs. She fought back a string of profanities as she forcefully sent the skeleton's skull flying with a well aimed kick.

It clattered down an ill lit corridor noisily, and Olivia grimaced at the noise.

She stood stock still in the darkness, waiting for the shuffling of assembling bones at the racket she had made, but nothing happened. The silence was deafening in itself.

Olivia wondered how Fern was doing too, and if the funny dryad missed her at all or if he had gone back to his dryad family. She shook her head, realising that she had never once asked about his family, but then again he had never spoken of them despite his chatty nature.

Maybe all woodland life was family to him? But then again maybe not, Olivia didn't consider all mammalian life her family after all.

Her mind then strayed to Jareth again, and she cursed herself for continuously thinking of him.

The king was less hostile than before, though she was still cautious of his intentions, and Olivia found herself actually enjoying the game they played, even involuntarily. It was confusing, maddening, and she pitied him.

That was the worst part, the pitying, because in Jareth she saw herself.

True, she had never kidnapped anyone, nor was she the sovereign of her own kingdom, but she had felt that bone deep loneliness before. Even now it had settled in her darkest places, filling her lungs and sitting in her throat.

Olivia loved her family, and she loved her friends, in particular she missed Saorise, her best friend and the only person to ever really understand her, but still that ache was not eased.

She was terrified at the feeling Jareth invoked, that his playful nature was boarding on more than their fierce rivalry.

Olivia mused that if the circumstances were different, not so dangerous, not so sudden, that they could even have been friends.

And it was this particular revelation that frightened her so much.

'If I have befriended my enemy, have I not defeated him?' That quote, from some man whose name Olivia couldn't place at the moment, rang heavily in her mind around and around.

She could befriend Jareth. She had done it before with other people she was less than fond of, by her nature Olivia was a charismatic, friendly woman who never really hated anything or anyone.

Well, her subconcious whispered, there is him.

She told her subconcious to fuck off, and resumed her fast pace, footsteps echoing loudly in the quiet catacombs. It had been a long, long time since she last thought of her ex and she didn't intend to let him distract her now.

And even disregarding him, Olivia's previous best friend, someone she trusted more than anyone had ended up only valuing her purely for what was in her pants. That was no way to make friends, she thought, to befriend someone with the expectation that they could become more.

It hurt her terribly when her friend betrayed her like this, and Olivia worried that if Jareth was attracted to her, not a far-fetched thought, she was no fool, she knew they had undeniable chemistry, and she was not interested then the same thing would happen again. Only this time with a powerful, vengeful sorcerer-king at her throat.

But, if that didn't happen and she did befriend him, then not only would he learn some humility, she would make sure of that, but she believed that he'd be loyal and fierce too. And that power which could easily destroy her, could be used to his benefit if he had someone level-headed to guide him, she would also get her nephew back.

Befriending Jareth wasn't a terrible idea, but that didn't mean it was a good one either. Even then, the mere idea of such a thing was ambitious, and unchecked ambition was a dangerous thing.

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Jareth was getting sick of these compulsory balls.

When he was younger, and more virile, he had loved to flaunt himself for all to see, regardless of gender or orientation.

He had always been considered particularly attractive amoung the fae, and his court had fed his ego over the years, assuring him of not only his staggering beauty but also of his unrivalled power.

Only, with unrivalled power came unrivalled fear, and unrivalled fear came with enemies, ones he would rather not tangle with.

The king sighed as he was handed yet another glass of unknown alcoholic beverage, his boredom clear to all but the ladies, and a few lads, that swooned around him.

His mind strayed to Olivia, the Not-Sarah who was steadily becoming more intriguing than a Sarah had been in a long time, and her progress within his labyrinth. She had become ensnared by the Aegis Sword and he had carefully omitted detail about it.

True, the sword had enchanted others before and they had all fallen to their doom, but none had survived so long as she, especially once the thorns had dug their way into the skin.

Jareth was almost scared of Olivia and her potential.

She was beautiful too, not something he wanted to admit but she had held his attention far longer than the fae ladies had and as such thought it dishonest to completely ignore her beauty, and she intrigued him.

It had been a long time since he last had taken a lover, and though he would never bestow such an affectionate nickname upon her, he did feel the stirrings of arousal in his gut when they fought.

He wondered if she'd look so angry in the heat of the moment, if she was as violent and feisty in bed as in battle.

For so long Jareth had grown tired of boring battles and of wailing whores who he cared little for. Olivia was different, she was fire and angst, death and destruction, surely she would be a mighty conquest and if he succeeded, if he made her fall in love with him then he'd have her loyalty, and her loyalty came with the Aegis Sword.

He could give up Jeremy, a single child for the most powerful weapon in existance was a deal too good to pass up.

Of course, this all relied on whether or not Olivia managed to slay the minotaur and if Jareth could stand her company for more than a few moments at a time.

He grimaced as he spotted the mask of a woman, made to look like a distorted version of his new interest, already the fae had heard tale of Olivia and how she had grasped the Aegis Sword. Already his enemies must be planning in secret whispers to dispel the troublesome girl, knowing that she could potentially destroy them if the sword deemed her worthy.

So who was she?

Greatest friend or worst enemy?

Only time would tell.

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Once again, Olivia was lost.

She knew she was making progress though the catacombs, if videogames taught her anything then it was that when you were faced with a myriad of obstacles then you were on the right course. And Olivia had cut down countless enemies and blustered through terrible trials.

The catacombs had thus far proved to be incredibly difficult, and Olivia found it nearly impossible to check her watch between the dim lighting and irrepresible skeletons.

She sighed, dodging another blow and slashing at the offending skeleton, sending it's bones clattering to the ground below noisily.

There was a screeching sound, and Olivia turned around to find herself facing two very unique, very deadly skeletons.

They were tall, taller than any human, and clothes in dark robes. They both carried two massive scythes, blades glinting beneath the dried blood.

"You..." the first hissed, "you have...entered our...domain..."

"Disturbed...their rest..." the second one said, and she named them Wardens.

Olivia slowly raised from the floor, Aegis Sword held aloft in front of her as the Wardens slowly advanced on boney feet.

"And now...you shall...join them..." they said in unison, lurching forward.

Olivia yelled, throwing herself to the side to avoid the First Warden's blades, curved in an arc where her head had been and clanging loudly into the wall.

The Aegis Sword told her what to do, and Olivia felt her body move at its command.

She swerved left, beneath the blades of the Second Warden, before ducking behind it and dodging the First Warden again. They were fast, faster than Olivia was, but she had the Aegis Sword.

The Second Warden spun in a circle, blades outstretched in a whirlwind of danger and clattered against the Aegis Sword as Olivia blocked. She clenched her teeth together, muscles screaming as they tried to hold onto the sword and keep their position.

While she was busy blocking the Second Warden, the First Warden had seen an opening and taken a chance to cut her down.

Olivia screeched, dropping to the ground in a roll as the First Warden slashed at where she had been. She looked up just in time to watch as the blades narrowly avoided her head, slicing a few of her loose hairs as the blades sunk deeply into the Second Warden.

The warden howled, thrusting his swords down at Olivia between them as it thrashed around, trying to dislodge the First Warden's blades.

Olivia quickly sprung up and nimbly jumped onto the Second Warden's bowed back, left hand tightly fisted in the ratty robe, and she swung the Aegis Sword down into it's next, slicing through the bone and decapitating the Second Warden.

It fell to the ground, Olivia quickly following, bones clattering against the ground and she rolled to the side as the First Warden struck the ground where she had fallen.

Olivia didn't celebrate her victory, but she was instantly more confident now that she had killed one of the powerful wardens.

But her success only seemed to spur the First Warden on, and its eye sockets glowed a terrible, vibrant red as it wailed at her, freezing Olivia in her tracks. Its voice was so loud and so grating, it was like her brain was trying to escape from her skull and it was then that Olivia realised that her ears were bleeding.

Blearily, she opened one eye, horror filling her chest like cold water as the First Warden's scythes sliced towards her.

And then it stopped, the blades less than an inch from either of her eyes. She could feel her eyelashes flutter irritatingly against the blades.

Olivia's gaze flickered to the frozen warden and saw vines wrapping around its joints, stilling its hands and the swords attached.

She jerked backwards, scuttling on the ground to put more distance between herself and the First Warden.

It wasn't dead, or actually it probably was but Olivia could see that it was still mobile, shaking in its attempt to free itself from the vines that trapped it.

Olivia approached the First Warden cautiously, sword held at the ready as she tried to ascertain exactly what had caused the vines to trap such a powerful foe.

The vines weren't like the ones that accompanied the Aegis Sword; they were thornless and smoother, appearing to be far less painful than the ones that held Olivia and she felt a small twinge of envy, at the softer vines, and pity for their similar predicament.

"Thank goodness I got to you in time!" Said a familiar voice and Olivia whirled around, heart jumping in her chest with excitement.

Standing behind her, well, in front of her now, was someone she had dearly missed.

Fern wasn't grinning, a strange sight indeed, as he surveyed the catacombs, disgust evident on his handsome face as the vines that trapped the First Warden were held tightly in his bark hands.

Olivia's grin was filled with relief as she ran straight into the dryad's arms, nuzzling her face into his leafy clothing, and squeezed his middle tightly. Fern bowed his body, returning her hug whilst still holding onto the vines.

"You came!" Olivia squealed, eyes shining with mirth as she pulled back, still holding onto the dryad.

He smiled smugly, "Miss me that much?" he teased.

Olivia giggled in embarrasement, "A little, I thought I was going to die there," she admitted, turning her gaze back to the First Warden, poking him with her finger, "but this guy's friend isn't as good as mine,"

Fern laughed, wrapping the vines tighter around the First Warden and tying them off, kicking the warden and watching as it fell to the ground with a loud, drawn out groan.

"How did you even find me?" Olivia asked, side stepping around the fallen warden and gently nudging its scythes with her booted foot. They looked pretty cool, she thought, but the Aegis Sword was far more useful and there was no way she'd lug those scythes around too.

Fern gestured for her to follow, "Let's go, those vines won't last forever and that one you killed will get back up soon, I'd rather have distance between us when that happens," he grimaced,

Olivia frowned, "Wait, what?"

The dryad shrugged, "You can't kill something that's already dead, you've probably been fighting the same skeletons over and over again,"

She grunted, "Great, that's not completely inconvenient at all,"

Fern laughed at her, "Undead soldiers are the best, they don't need food, sleep, companionship, they just fulfill their purpose. The only thing they require is magic to keep them risen,"

"And let me guess, you know all this because the trees told you?" She asked, almost in disbelief, but Olivia was beginning to learn that she needed to suspend disbelief in this strange new world.

"Yeah they did, they also told me that you were getting into trouble, and as much as I really didn't want to come down here I decided that having my only friend be killed was far worse than some pesky undead." he explained and Olivia felt a rush of affection surge in her chest for the dryad.

"I'm your only friend?" She asked.

He raised a brow, "That's all you took from that? That I have no friends?"

"Yeah," Olivia said, grinning cheerfully.

Fern smirked, "Dryads are pretty reclusive, even if we live in big clans, and most people bore me."

"But not me?"

"But not you."

Olivia chortled, "I don't know whether to be flattered or offended," she confessed.

Fern laughed, "Why not both?"

"Thank you, by the way, for saving me." she said, walking side by side with him.

The dryad smiled softly, "Ut's alright," his smiled warped into a teasing grin, "but you owe me a favour now, one I can cache in at any time!"

Olivia groaned, remembering the rules of the fae, "Fantastic," she deadpanned, and Fern laughed again.

Olivia leaned back against the wall, breathing heavily as she rested. She had been constantly moving ever since Jareth had whisked her away, and Olivia was feeling the strain of her physical activities, even with Fern for company.

She didn't have time to rest, she knew that, she had to venture on and rescue her nephew. But she was so, so tired, and her body was begging for reprieve.

Her stomach rumbled testily, reminding her of how long it had been since she'd eaten.

With burning lungs and aching muscles, Olivia slid down the wall to sit heavily on the ground, sword lying haphazardly against her thigh.

Olivia hissed, eyes squeezed shut as the thorned vines tightened around her wrist, scraping her bones together painfully and forcing the breath from her lungs. Her knees shook, and still the vines kept tightening.

She hadn't told Fern the price she paid for grasping the Aegis Sword, but she guessed from his intuitive concerned glances that he already knew, and if not then surely the trees, plant life, or whatever would've told him by now.

They still had to get out, and Olivia couldn't leave through the tree roots like Fern had arrived.

It must be useful, she thought, to be so connected to nature than you can travel quickly through it anywhere, anytime.

"C'mon," Fern said, wrapping a slim arm around her shoulders and heaving her up, "can't stop here, not until we're out of the catacombs."

Olivia nodded, wiping sweat from her brow, "Yeah, and I still gotta kill the minotaur."

He rolled his eyes, "Still going for that, huh? Why don't you just skip the minotaur and go straight to the castle? Lob the king's head off instead?"

"He's not so bad..." Olivia said, earning a scoff from Fern, "besides, he said if I bring him the minotaur's head then he'd give me the antidote for this," she lifted her arm, showing the thorns biting into her skin.

Fern grimaced, "Ah, yes," he said, "sorry about that..."

"It's hardly your fault," Olivia muttered, eyes downcast, "I'm aware of the price I will have to pay for this."

The dryad nodded, "Well, I'm helping you so at least you're not alone," he said kindly, "and when did you speak to Jareth?"

Olivia sighed heavily, "When I first got to the catacombs, though I'm pretty sure he's watching me now!" She shouted, waving the Aegis Sword high in the air with an annoyed face.

Fern laughed, "Spying on pretty girls is one of his favourite past times."

"Gross and weird," Olivia commented.

He chortled, "Well, only pretty girls of interest, pretty boys too, and probably anything neither, inbetween, both, and whate-"

"Alright, alright, I get it," Olivia interrupted, "GK's frustrated, maybe if he took that stick outta his ass it might help..."

Fern burst out laughing, "You can be the one to tell him that!"

"Tell him? Dude probably alreay knows, kinda hard not to know when you're sexually frustrated," Olivia said, before stopping short as she thought hard, "wait, he's not married and this is an archaic society," she eyed Fern questioningly, "is virginity still coveted?"

Fern shook his head, "I'm not so sure about how traditional fae do it, but dryads are horny shits, we have a mating season in spring and 'spread our pollen' so to say,"

"Thanks, Fern, I really wanna know how you bone," Olivia said sarcastically, "what I actually asked was whether or not virginity is important, Jareth is ancient so him being a virgin is...odd, by human standards at least," she frowned, "I'd be too curious to stay a virgin that long."

"Yeah, but humans have shorter life spans," Fern countered, "so he's not that old in fae years."

"You still haven't answered by question," Olivia pointed out, "unless you really don't know?"

Fern shrugged, hands up in the universal gesture of surrender, "I might know but if GK, a great nickname by the way I'm so using that, is actually watching your every move then he's always watching this conversation." He pointed out.

Olivia chuckled, "Great then let's ask him!" She cupped her hands around her mouth, bending slightly at the waist and shouting into the dark caverns of the catacombs, "Hey! GK! You a virgin?!"

Her only response was the echo of her own voice, carrying in the darkness.

She shivered, "That...might have been a bad idea..." Olivia admitted with a wince, and just as she realised her error the ground started to shake.

Unbeknownst to Olivia, because she wasn't paying attention, she had led them into a large circular room, standing high on a ledge that went all around the massive sand pit in the centre.

She leaned over the ledge, and theorised that the pit must be at least fifty feet deep and right in the centre of it was a huge skeleton, its skull resembling a wolf with spiriling horns. Its spine was massive too, no doubt to support the huge head and Olivia grimaced as a violent shiver wracked through her.

Fern stood beside her, peering down at the monstrous skeleton too, "I have a bad feeling about this..." he said gravely.

And then, the skeleton moved.


	6. Chapter 6

“This is so inconvenient!” Olivia screeched as she dodged another blow from the giant skeleton. It roared loudly, the sound echoing around the chamber and dislodging debris that rained from the ceiling.

Behind her, Fern yelped and Olivia narrowly missed the whipping of his vines as they shout from beneath the cracked stone, looping around the elbow joints of the skeleton. He roared once more and with a mighty pull severed the vines from the ground.

“I have no idea how to kill this thing!” Fern yelled.

Olivia grunted, aware of the slow trickle of blood trailing down her forearm as the thorned vines of the Aegis sword tightened, forcing her arm to move in an arc, nicking the giant skeleton’s finger bones as he brought his hand down where she had just been standing.

She nearly fell as her lung burned with the effort of breathing, but Olivia maintained her balance and fled back to Fern’s side.

The giant skeleton continued to thrash around, and Olivia watched with critical eyes, the glowing red light that lay within its eye sockets burned brightly with every missed attack.

The chamber they were in was circular in shape with a massive pit that the skeleton rose out of, and a large ledge spanning around it that Olivia and Fern stood upon. She had peered down into the pit, worried that falling would cause severe harm.

The skeleton moved with jilted rage, roaring again as Olivia dodged another blow. It may have been big, but it was also slow and the vines that Fern sent out to immobilise it slowed it even more.

Vines? Olivia could feel an idea brewing in her head.

The skeleton was undead, and as Fern had pointed out undead are unkillable. But unkillable did not mean unstoppable.

“Fern!” Olivia called out, leaping above the bony had that tried to swipe at her.

The dryad whipped his head to look at her, long vine-like hair falling around him in a dishevelled mess. She landed beside him.

“We need to subdue it! Can you use your vines to tie it down?!”

The skeleton roared once more, and Fern wrapped one long arm around Olivia’s waist, jumping back to avoid the skeletal hand that reached for them. The skeleton screeched in anger.

“Maybe!” Fern said, hope glinting in his dark eyes, “But not for long!”

Olivia grinned ferally, excitement coursing through her veins as adrenaline surged through her.

“I wont need long! Just precision!”

Fern grinned back, and with great effort he commanded more vines to sprout from between broken stoned, wrapping around the skeleton’s joints, accompanied by a massive vine winding around its neck. Fern grunted with the effort as he grasped the massive vine and gave a mighty tug.

The skeleton roared in rage, collapsing against the ledge they stood upon. The ground shook with the weight and a quick glance to Fern showed his exhaustion.

Olivia didn’t hesitate. She raced forward, picturing her plan in her mind and imploring the Aegis sword to obey her. The thorned vines tightened, but there was no resistance as she leapt onto the skeleton’s head and thrust the sword into its left eye socket, watching a black ichor slid down the blade, halted from her skin by the winding vines.

A deafening roar sounded, and Olivia fought back a wave of nausea as the smell of decay descended upon her from the skeleton’s gruesome mouth. It thrashed in pain, and Olivia ripped the sword out, leaping back to Fern just as the vines holding it snapped beneath its strength.

“That’s your plan!” Fern yelled, “Just stab him!?”

Olivia scoffed, “I fight with a god damn sword, Fern! What else am I gonna do with it?!”

Fern retorted, but Olivia didn’t hear it, focusing on the skeleton’s movements once more. One glowing eye glared balefully at Olivia, its attention fixated on her as she continued to dodge, distracting it long enough for Fern to summon more vines and wrap themselves around the skeleton, pulling with all his strength and bringing the great undead back down with a mighty crash.

Again, Olivia leapt forward, but the skeleton had anticipated her movements and snapped its sharp teeth at where she had once been, angling its head to protect its other eyes.

She swore heavily, but pushed on and adjusted her footing, using the flailing fingers of the skeleton to launch herself up and onto its head.

With a small scream, she realised she had misjudged the distance and time seemed to slow as the glowing red eye narrowed on her before widening in realisation. Olivia fell through the air, and right through the eye socket.

“Liv!” She heard Fern yell, voice strained with exhaustion and laced with concern.

The skeleton groaned, and within its blackened skull Olivia saw a crystal ball of red light contorting and moving unnaturally. It vaguely reminded her of one of Jareth’s crystals, but it was corrupted and unclear. Whatever magic was powering this undead, Olivia doubted it was by Jareth.

The skeleton suddenly bucked up and slammed its hand to its skull, dislodging Olivia’s stance and staggering her as she desperately scrambled for purchase within the skull.

She heard Fern yell again and watched as several thick vines shot through the skeleton’s eye sockets to wrap around the lacrimal bone nestled between the eye sockets. He must’ve tugged it, as the skeleton roared again and began to fall forward.

Olivia saw her chance, and refused to think on her next action as she leapt forward, wrapping her arms around the large crystal, pinning it to her chest. She fell heavily, leaving through an eye socket and rolling onto the ledge Fern stood on.

The skeleton roared one last time before collapsing, the bones falling apart between the vines that crushed them.

Choking on bone dust, Olivia forced herself to her feet, crystal clutched to her chest as the thorned vines loosed on her wrist. Fern rushed to her side, large eyes fixed on the crystal.

“That’s bad,” he said, glaring at it, “whatever magic that crystal contains does not come from the Labyrinth.”

Olivia frowned, catching her breath with heaving gasps.

She regarded the crystal properly, and was disturbed to find her reflection blind at her when she made no such movement. The red mist swirled within it, and a strong sense of dread crept up Olivia’s spine and wrapped around her throat.

“Isn’t it Jareth’s?” Olivia coughed out, throat burning with the effort.

Fern supported her as they sat on the dusty ground, catching their breath. They were both exhausted and covered in dirt. Blood had dried onto Olivia’s forearm where the thorns had cut deep and with a concerned gaze, Fern lifted his hand to Olivia’s forehead. His skin was blessedly cool to her.

He grimaced, “You’re burning up.”

“Poison,” Olivia explained, “Jareth said that the thorns of the Aegis sword are releasing it into my skin. I’ll get the cure if I bring him the minotaur’s head.”

A shuddering breath rattled her body, followed by a hacking cough.

Fern rubbed her back soothingly, “The air down here probably isn’t helping either.”

Olivia nodded and rose on shaking legs, taking a few deep breaths and let Fern guide her out of the room and through several corridors, each looked exactly the same as the last. She was beginning to get dizzy and wondered how long it had been since she last ate. She didn’t want to risk eating anything though, Olivia knew that if a mortal ate something from the fae realm then they could never return home.

“It does look like one of Jareth’s crystals,” Fern said, a grin on his face, even if his exhausted demeanour calmed his usual animated antics.

Olivia nodded, “Yeah but it doesn’t feel like one.”

“Huh?” Fern said.

“Y’know, it’s different feel from his usual magic, but there’s something familiar there. You think it once belonged to him?” Olivia suggested, “But he’s a powerful sorcerer king, surely he has control over what this is?”

Fern was silent, eyes shifting, and Olivia rose a brow at her dryad friend.

“Fern,” she said with a stern voice, “what aren’t you telling me?”

The dryad swallowed thickly, guilt flashing across his face briefly before it was replaced with another emotion, one she couldn’t identify. Olivia thought it didn’t suit him, whatever it was he was feeling.

The walked a little further, Olivia leaning on Fern for support, when he finally spoke up, “There are other kingdoms with other rulers.”

She waited patiently, whatever it was Fern was trying to say, it seemed hard for him to reveal to her.

“One of these kingdoms was the Forest of Drys, and the home of the Dryads...it fell long ago.” Fern said quietly, “Our trees were cut down and used as firewood for orcish industry. Initially,” he continued, “the Goblin King tried to assist, he even offered the Enchanted Forest in the Labyrinth for us to take refuge in, but the Queen of Drys refused his offer.”

Olivia swallowed thickly, emotion welling inside of her as her friend recounted the horrible persecution his people faced at the hands of the dwarves.

She had no idea all of this existed, her knowledge of myths and legends was vast but it was nothing compared to the reality Fern spoke of. It made her feel sick.

“Drys fell, and with it most of the dryads. I am one of the last, and the last able to commune with nature.” Fern admitted.

“I thought all dryads could do that?”

Fern shook his head, a bitter laugh on his tongue, “Only those of royal blood…”

“Royal blood?” Olivia said softly, “So, the Queen of Drys was…”

“My mother.”

Silence fell over them. Olivia had always found difficulty in comforting others, and Fern would be no exception to that rule. Instead of words, she wound her arm around his middle and gave him a soft squeeze. From the corner of her eye, she spied Fern’s soft smile and felt his grip tighten on her.

“Would you want to return to Drys?”

Fern shook his head, “Not now...the orcs are still there, and their Lord presides over it now.”

“What if they left?”

“They will not.”

“What if I made them?”

Fern halted, eyes staring straight ahead as he considered Olivia’s words. It was his duty as prince to reclaim his homeland, but fear had held him back, and truthfully Fern hated the royal life, trapped within its confines like a gilded butterfly.

But now here was Olivia, bright and brave Olivia, who stood resolutely against every obstacle she faced and remained triumphant. Perhaps she could defeat the orcs?

He wouldn’t get his hopes up. As soon as Olivia rescued her nephew she would return home, and he would remain here, alone again.

“Let’s just focus on getting to the castle,” Fern said, pushing a door open for Olivia at the end of a corridor, “we can discuss it more later.”

Olivia nodded, curious but she sensed that Fern was done talking about his past. It saddened her, but she understood and refused to prod any further.

The Underground Passages were inhospitable as the rest of the Labyrinth. Great faces were carved into the stone and bellowed at Olivia and Fern as they traversed further, warning of death and destruction to all who ventured through.

Olivia scoffed at them, “You warn of death and yet make no attempt to make it a reality. You’re all talk and no walk.” She scolded.

One face, who looked like Leonard Nimoy to Olivia, spoke, “How are we supposed to walk? We’re just faces.”

“Yeah, I can see that,” Olivia said sardonically, “why are you even trying to deter me? It won’t work and I have a feeling you already know that.”

Another face answered, accent thick, “We’ve ‘eard a bi’ from the undead mis’, the Labyrinth is talkin’ ‘bout ye, girlie.”

Olivia shrugged, “I’d expect nothing less.”

Fern watched, his grin once more in place, and Olivia felt herself lighten at her friend’s good mood, “You should expect more, Liv!”

“I’ve come to expect the unexpected here,” Olivia said with smirk, “this Labyrinth is as temperamental as its king. Even if it is rather fun.”

Suddenly, Fern halted, and sniffed the air with narrowed eyes.

Olivia felt her friend tense and immediately readied the Aegis sword, prepared to cut down any threat that dared harm them.

The air shifted with familiar scent, and Olivia felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on edge as a gentle breeze shifted through the passage they stood in. She swallowed back any fear she felt, and Olivia waited.

And then, Fern was gone.

Olivia whirled around, frantically searching for the dryad, but even the faces refused to say anything. They were unmoving, as stone should be, and Olivia sneered at them as she realised that they wouldn’t budge, frozen as they were.

“Fern!” She called out, panic rising within her, “Fern! Where are you!?”

A dark chuckle sounded behind her, and when Olivia spun around with her sword ready she realised that she was even in the Underground Passages any more.

Jareth stood before her, glitter falling around them like snow in the wind as they stood in a very long stone corridor. There were no windows and no signs of life, and the unnatural breeze caressed Olivia’s skin as Jareth stalked towards her. He was wearing a different outfit, more casual Olivia noted, but he was still handsome.

“Hello, little bird,” he greeted, “enjoying my Labyrinth?”

Olivia resisted the urge to roll her eyes, “It’s peachy, where the hell is Fern?”

He chuckled deeply, and the sound sent shivers down Olivia’s spine, the feeling intensifying as she watched his eyes rake down her body before pinning her in place with his gaze.

“Your little dryad friend is...incapacitated, let’s say.”

Olivia frowned, “Incapacitated?”

Jareth sauntered forward, crowding Olivia against the wall she stood beside, but she refused to move, aware of his intimidation tactic. She would give him no wriggle room, especially now that he had kidnapped Fern.

“Would you like to see him?” The king offered, and without waiting for her reply he summoned a crystal ball.

Olivia peered into the glass, even as Jareth’s eyes never left her face, and she clenched her jaw as she saw Fern within. He didn’t appear harmed, but confusion was evident on his face. And fear, Fern was scared.

She swallowed back her rage, aware that it wouldn’t help her.

Jareth smirked, “You can trade your nephew for him.” He offered, “Or you can search for him, but be warned, time is short.”

“I’ll find him,” Olivia said strongly, “and I’ll still win your game.”

The king laughed again, face crinkling in mirth and Olivia pushed away her attraction to him again. She hated that we was a sucker for bad boys in tight pants. She wanted to pull his hair and make him sneer.

Jareth’s smirk widened, and Olivia’s stomach sank as she realised he could probably read her thoughts. Oh well, she thought, it doesn’t matter now.

“I assure you it does matter,” Jareth said, shit, Olivia thought, “but it’s all part of the game.”

“Right,” Olivia said sardonically, “because I’m definitely going to take everything you say at face value.”

The king chuckled again and leaned closer, so close that Olivia could see the individual lines that made up his irises. His heterochromia was so fascinating.

“Sweet Lady Disdain,” he said, “you’ve never taken me at all.”

Olivia scoffed, “That line usually work?”

“You tell me.”

“Is that an order?” He challenged, and Olivia felt her gut tighten at the excitement in his eyes. 

“Do you want it to be?” Her mouth was often in control more than her brain, and Olivia mentally cursed herself once more for her stupid libido. Twenty five years old and pining after the Goblin King like she was ten years younger. Fuck, she thought, I should not be flirting with the Goblin King.

Jareth grinned, and her eyes were immediately drawn to his sharp canines, “You assume much, Olivia.”

She blinked in surprise, he had actually addressed her by name, and not by Not-Sarah. Fern had suggested she was making an impact on the Goblin King, but Olivia still doubted herself.

“And you take what is not yours, rather presumptive of you.” She countered.

He inhaled deeply, “My dear, if I truly took what isn’t mine then we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

Olivia swallowed thickly, but refused to break his gaze, even as she cursed herself again and again. Never before had she been so compelled to speak out of turn, even with her brash nature, and never before had she found herself as wanting as strongly as she did whenever he was around. Yearning, her traitorous mind whispered, you’re yearning.

“And what would we be doing instead?”

A strong hand had settled on her hip, and Olivia felt her pulse quicken. Bad idea, bad idea, bad idea, bad idea!

She shifted slightly, and a thrill of excitement rushed through her as she found his grip unrelenting. Fuck, she thought, girl you’ve got it bad.

“Come with me and I’ll show you.” he whispered, face so close she could taste his breath on her tongue. Olivia shivered and genuinely considered his offer for a moment before her rational mind kicked in.

She laughed softly, slightly sad, “Do you truly expect me to believe you’re into me?”

Jareth’s face fell and he pulled back with a frown, an unidentifiable emotion resting behind his eyes.

“Sweet thing, you are more alluring than you believe.”

Olivia scoffed, “I’m aware that I’m beautiful and I’ve had many want me, but you’re after my nephew, and any distraction is still a distraction. Utilising my attraction to you in a clever trick, but ultimately useless.” She glared at him, “I am not a silly little lovesick teenager, but a woman who is already aware of desire and want. You can’t fool me with it.”

Jareth held her eyes, “And what if my offer is genuine?”

“I still can’t except it, even then, my nephew is my priority, right after I find Fern.”

Distaste coloured his face, frown wrinkles deepening and Olivia was suddenly aware of their age difference, in human years he must’ve been over a thousand years old, even if he appeared in his late thirties.

“You truly won’t give up, will you?” Jareth said fondly, and he found his anger melting away as Olivia’s eyes became alight with the fire of her determination, “I admire your tenacity.” He revealed.

Olivia swallowed thickly again, her heart hammering in her chest at his words.

The crystal she had recovered from the giant skeleton hummed in her pocket and Jareth attention was immediately captured by it.

“Hey!” Olivia screeched in indignation as he pulled her forward, delving into her pocket with his hand and retrieving the crystal.

His eyes narrowed and his face turned to thunder as he regarded the crystal with distaste.

“How did you come to find this?” He asked her, voice dangerously low in the quiet of the corridor.

Olivia felt implored to tell him, “I bested the giant skeleton in the catacombs, this was inside of its skull and animating it.” She frowned, “Weren’t you watching?”

Jareth rolled his eyes, “You are not the only thing I’m interested in, Olivia, I am a busy king.”

“Yeah, so busy you spend a good portion of your time kidnapping kids,” she scoffed, “or where you to busy sorting out your pretty hair?”

Jareth smirked slyly, “You think it’s pretty?”

“You know I do.”

“It that why you want to pull it?” He teased.

Olivia scoffed, “I’m hoping it’ll stop you monologuing actually.”

“There are many ways to shut me up.” He winked.

She scrunched her nose up, “We are not doing this again, so stop trying to distract me. What’s wrong with this crystal? It’s yours I assume but it’s different from your usual magic.”

Jareth raised a brow, apparently surprised at Olivia’s assessment of the crystal, “You recognise the feel of my magic?”

“Well, yeah, I’m constantly surrounded by it, kinda hard not to be familiar.” She reasoned, “Besides, you’re the most powerful person around, I assume most magic around her is yours.”

Jareth grinned wickedly again, “I do love it when you compliment me.”

Olivia rolled her eyes, “Yeah, I bet you do, you’re the vainest person I’ve ever met. Do you even acknowledge others?”

“You,” he said, “I’ve been acknowledging you.”

“Yes,” Olivia scoffed, “and you’re getting off topic again. What’s wrong with this crystal?”

Jareth sighed and tempered his pleased grin, turning the crystal in his hands as he inspected it. There was a small crack in the glass, but the swirling red mist remained contained within.

“It’s corrupted,” Jareth said, and he had no idea why he felt so compelled to please this infuriating mortal woman, “by a magic that is not mine. You found it inside the Undead Lord? He hasn’t been challenged in countless years.”

“And he won’t be again. I’ve ended him.” Olivia said, motioning to the Aegis sword in her left hand, “This baby can kill anything, pretty useful really,” she narrowed her eyes at him playfully, a smirk spreading across her pink lips, “could probably run you through with it, if I really wanted to.”

When she had threatened him before, Jareth had been consumed with rage and promised eternal damnation upon her. Now, however, he merely barked out a laugh and rested his gloved hand over her own upon the Aegis sword’s hilt. The thorned vines squirmed slightly, and Olivia startled to realise that she could feel his flesh through the gloves and vines. He had soft hands, and she unwittingly wondered what those hands would feel like in other places.

She jerked away, and the atmosphere was broken.

Jareth was her enemy. She couldn’t forget that.

“Thanks,” she said curtly, “now I must leave, I need to find Fern.”

The Goblin King smiled softly, but Olivia didn’t see it, her back turned to him as she walked away and down the corridor to find an exit.

Jareth watched her go, mind at peace for the first time in a long time.

Olivia, he thought, and felt emotion expand beneath his ribs and threaten to burst from his lungs. It was unsettling, and addicting, and he felt himself compelled to seek her out again.

Olivia.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> so as previously mentioned, this is a rewrite and I changed who Olivia is saving from her sister to her nephew, thanks guys for pointing out where i've missed this change, I'll go back and edit it out! I've currently got no beta reader and I'm just shitting these chapters out in between work so holla
> 
> also i noticed that I can't get the indentation to work correctly on AO3, anyone have any idea how to in put indents? They're there on the documents I'm using to write but when I copy and paste they disappear
> 
> anyway enjoy!

“You really think she won’t come for me?” Fern said, mocking the king, “Because I know Liv better than you do, and I’m pretty sure she’ll come.”

Jareth barked out a harsh laugh at the dryad, “She won’t have a choice, the woman is far too compassionate for her own good.”

“It’s her best trait! And her legs, she’s got a fantastic legs.”

The king rolled his eyes, a small smirk pulling at his mouth as he taunted the dryad suspended in his crystal prison.

“You really think you’re her friend? Please, don’t make me laugh, she’ll leave you to rot in favour of her nephew.”

Fern narrowed his eyes, sharp teeth grinding together as he glared at Jareth, “You really don’t know her.”

“I assure you, I’ve spoken with little Olivia on many occasions and I know her mind well. She had little interest in those that dwell here, including yourself.” Jareth jeered, “But don’t fret, I am a generous king, and once she’s failed I’ll return you to the oubliette she found you in.”

Fern scoffed, “Of course you were spying on us, jealous much?”

“Jealousy had little to do with it, but it is a feeling you know well. Tell me, dryad, how does it feel to see happy families all around you?” A cruel jab, but Jareth revelled in it.

The dryad bared his teeth with narrowed eyes, “You’re one to talk, where’s your family?”

“I need no family.”

“Right,” Fern scoffed, “that’s why you kidnap children and young women.”

Jareth tossed the crystal around, watching in cruel joy as Fern tumbled around inside.

“I didn’t suspect there to be any dryads left,” he taunted, “but I’m sure I can change that.”

Fern glared at him, the crystal finally stilled in its motions, and several emotion flittered across the dryad’s face.

His shoulders slumped, and he turned his gaze away, “What happened to you? You used to be a kind king, now all that’s left is just hate.”

Jareth sneered, eyes scanning the horizon from his window as he searched for any sign of Olivia and any new friends she may have picked up along the way. For an introvert, the young woman seemed to make friends far too easily.

“You offered us your forests.”

“And the stupid Queen of Drys turned my offer down, if she had accepted then most of you would’ve survived.” Jareth bit back, “But no one seems to appreciate my generosity.”

Fern sat crossed legged on the floor of his crystal prison, pouting as he conversed with the Goblin King.

“The orcs came so suddenly, and the Queen tried to negotiate peace, but all they know is industry and pollution.”

“Not so dissimilar from humans in that respect,” Jareth said, “at least humans die quickly, even if there’s so many of them.”

Fern sighed, propping his chin up on his palm, “Not all humans are bad, Olivia’s nice.”

“She will die in the blink of an eye, just like the rest of them.”

“Maybe,” Fern shrugged, “but at least she’s trying. All we faefolk do is the same thing over and over again and complain about the results.”

Jareth sighed heavily, leaning back against is chaise lounge as he gazed out the window. He could see the minotaur in the distance, still chasing Olivia as she traversed his mighty Labyrinth.

“Give her a little longer,” Jareth said, “and she’ll be dead like the rest of them”

“So long as she has that sword in her hand and courage in her heart, Olivia will triumph.” Fern said confidently, staring Jareth in the eyes, “I have faith in her.”

“As do I.”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bright sun greeted Olivia’s eyes with burning intensity as she finally breached the surface. She had walked for a while beneath the ground, and eventually managed to find a ladder leading up to a trapdoor.

The light was blinding, her eyes had adjusted to the dark, but she welcomed the warmth of the sun upon her chilled skin. Her fever had blessedly broken after her conversation with Jareth, but now chills had set in, and she worried for her health, but still she knew she couldn’t afford to rest.

Jareth and revealed nothing of Fern’s location, and though Olivia felt the pressure of a ticking clock weighing her down she knew that she had to rescue Fern as well as her nephew. It was only right, after all, as Fern had been an invaluable friend in her ordeals and she was the reason he was kidnapped in the first place.

She had found herself in a hedge maze, full of winding pathways and shifting walls that had been commanded to confuse her as much as possible. Olivia may have been frustrated, but she had to gift Jareth credit for his design. The Labyrinth was as impressive as it was horrifying. Briefly, she wondered how the other Not-Sarahs had faired, and if the Labyrinth merely existed as an obstacle for those who invoked the wrath of the Goblin King, or if it served another purpose.

Olivia thought to what Fern had told her of its creation, but that story was just what he had learned from rumours, and Olivia wasn’t sure if trees were the best source of gossip.

Ultimately, it didn’t matter. She had a goal, and right now she had to focus on that. It was the only thing halting the memories of her last encounter with the king. She shuddered again, pushing away the welling of feeling in the pit of her stomach, squashing it down her diaphragm and tucking it away into a secret place within her.

Clenching her jaw again, Olivia fruitlessly tried to work out which way to go, caught between a cross section of hedges. Left or right? Forward or back?

BANG!

“How dare you!”

Olivia froze in place, ears strained against the cacophony of noise from the other side of the hedge. She quietly stepped forward and pushed some of the foliage out of the way to peer through.

Beyond the hedge was a large circle of goblins in heavy armour, jeering and leering at something in the middle. They taunted viciously, cruelly teasing and Olivia felt a rush of fury overcome her at the sight, and yet she had no idea of the situation.

“You’re gonna regret that!” Said a voice, the same one as earlier, and followed by the whirring of gears before-

Olivia jumped backwards, loosing her footing. She collided with the hard stone ground with a groan, just barely missing the projectile that whizzed through the hedge and over her head. It clattered noisily on the ground behind her, but her eyes were fixed elsewhere.

The cruel goblins had run around in their panic, revealing a small, somewhat cute female goblin in their midst. She was decked in machinery and trinkets, wearing a leather coat with messy black hair piled high on her head in a bun and two braids falling in front of large ears. Her skin was bright green, and narrowed yellow eyes settled on Olivia.

Olivia pushed herself to her feet and scrambled through the bush, widening the hole as much as she could with the Aegis sword. The other goblins had returned to themselves and decided to continue in their jeering, this time focusing on Olivia.

Though she may not be particularly tall, Olivia was surprisingly strong, especially with the poison from the Aegis sword coursing through her veins, and with a mighty swing she struck the cobbled stone ground.

The sound resonated around the bushed area, the goblins screeching in anger as they clutched their little hands to their little ears. A particularly brave goblin rushed towards Olivia, but she kicked him away with her booted foot, letting out another screech as he sailed over his friends to land heavily against the stone. He groaned, but didn’t get up again.

The other goblins seemed to sense the danger, and they cackled, forming a line between Olivia and the female goblin, spears pointed at the young woman.

She bared her teeth, clutching the Aegis sword with both hands as she dropped into her fighting stance. Her ears focused, but she could hear no other beings than those opposite her.

“Let me pass, and I’ll let you go.” Olivia warned.

The band of goblins cackled again, yellowed teeth gnashing and grinding as they readied themselves for battle. Olivia rolled her eyes with a heavy sigh. She really didn’t want to fight unless absolutely necessary, even as her pulse picked up and excitement began to brew behind her chest.

I’m not going to kill you,” she said to the goblins, “but I am going to hurt you. A lot.”

And then, chaos.

A tall goblin leapt forward first, barely shorter than Olivia herself and twice as vicious. The large spear nearly sank into her flesh as he jutted it forward, but Olivia used his weight against him and delivered a powerful blow to his helmet.

The goblin howled, yellow eyes narrowed behind the eye slits, and he rushed forward again, this time flanked by two of his friends. The big one’s gait was off, he had clearly been affected by Olivia’s strike.

She feigned to the left, dodging a poker to the shin, and leapt over the falling goblin. She swung her leg around, landing a powerful roundhouse kick to his chest that sent him flying. He didn’t get up.

The second goblin screeched as he launched a barrage of anger-stricken attacks at Olivia’s stomach, the Aegis sword directing her to defend as the vines tightened and pull her arm in the motion the sword wanted.

The goblin swiped at her feet again, and Olivia jumped as she grasped the ruff of the goblin’s outfit, throwing him far away. He landed heavily on top of one of the other groaning goblins.

Now, she stood against the last goblin. Tall and heavily armoured, he was bigger than Olivia, an unusual sight for a goblin.

He banged his sword against his shield, leering with rotten teeth at Olivia as she stared him down.

“Y’know,” Olivia began, eyes quickly darting to the female goblin behind him who looked on with interest, “we could just end this here. No need for you to get hurt too.”

The goblin barked out a nasally laugh, his armour clanking with the force of his chortling. His ugly face contorted with rage as Olivia rolled her eyes.

“Ain’t no little girlie gonna best me! I’m Brogback the Unbroken!”

And then a loud war cry sounded, and Brogback the Unbroken fell to the ground, his armour shattering around him.

“Let that be a lesson to ya!”

Olivia let out an incredulous laugh, and her gaze fixed on the female goblin standing proudly above her fallen kin, jeering and cackling as she let off a string of curses at the quivering goblin.

The other goblins scrambled to their feet, pulling their leader with them, as they ambled quickly towards the hedge. The foliage parted, allowing them access, before quickly shifting to remain impenetrable once again.

“That was cool,” Olivia said, “you’re pretty strong, huh?”

Yellow eyes narrowed at Olivia, “And what’s it to ya?!”

Olivia held up her hands in surrender, “Chill, kid, I’m impressed, why were they even picking you? I certainly wouldn’t.”

The goblin’s eyes widened, and her face split into a sharp-toothed grin. It reminded Olivia of Fern, and she ached to see her friend again. It was strange, they’d only known each other a short amount of time and yet Olivia felt as if they’d been in each other’s company for years.

“That’s a weird looking sword, ya got there.” The goblin commented as she came to stand in front of Olivia, inspecting the Aegis sword.

Olivia shrugged, “So I’ve been told.”

“These vines?”

“Yeah.”

The goblin frowned, pulling her thick goggles down over her eyes and sniffed at the vines encasing Olivia’s forearm.

“It hurt?”

Olivia bit the inside of her cheek, eyes shifting around her to spot any eavesdroppers, or rather, the only person capable of eavesdropping on her. He didn’t appear to be around, and he’d even stated that he wasn’t always watching her. Olivia caught herself thinking of him again, and squashed it down, burying the thoughts in her bones.

“A little, but not much, only when I try to do something the sword doesn’t want. It’s not exactly talkative though.” Olivia said bitterly, glaring at the Aegis sword.

The goblin was silent for a time, eyes fixed on the sword and the thorned vines that ensnared Olivia’s arm.

“Well,” the goblin said, “you helped me so now I’ve gotta help you, that’s how these things work. Want me to help get the sword off.”

Olivia shook her head, “No thanks, I kinda need it, but there is something else you might be able to help with.”

“Yeah?” The goblin looked at her inquisitively, small button nose scrunched up cutely.

“I need to rescue my friend, the King trapped him in a crystal cage somewhere.” Olivia said, “Do you have any idea where he could be?”

The goblin hummed, tapping her finger against her chin as she thought, “That’s kinda weird, usually he puts prisoners in oubliettes. Or the guillotine.”

“I seriously hope Fern isn’t guillotined.” Olivia said, swallowing thickly, “If he’s dead then I’ll make Jareth pay for it.”

The goblin cackled, eyes alight with mischief, “I’d like to see that! But I reckon we can find your friend, you have anything of his?”

Olivia shrugged her little backpack off and rifled around in it. She had forgotten some of the things she had brought with her, such as her phone and a tampon. She seriously hoped she didn’t need the latter while here. Eventually, she retrieved what appeared to be leaves from a willow tree.

“This is some of his hair.”

The goblin stared at Olivia sceptically, “You usually carry around your mate’s hair?”

“No.”

“Right…” the goblin said, disbelief evident in her voice. She rummaged around in her leather satchel. Olivia could hear trinkets clinking together as the goblin rifled through her bag.

“Ta-da!” The goblin said, shaking her fist in triumph as she procured a strange looking compass, “This baby will lead us to him!”

Olivia raised a brow, one hand on her hip, “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure!” The goblin said tartly, “I designed it after all, just give me your friend’s...hair...and I’ll show you how it works.”

With a shrug Olivia did as requested and handed the goblin Fern’s lock of hair. She was hesitant to part with it, the only souvenir of her kidnapped friend, but she had to place her trust in the female goblin, lest she lose Fern, and perhaps her nephew, forever.

The goblin took the lock of hair with gently, agile fingers, and carefully pressed a button on the side of the compass. The compass face swung open to reveal a small chamber within, containing several small crystalline disks that spun around. She pressed the hair between them and snapped the compass shut.

Olivia watched on with intrigue as the compass arrow began to spin erratically behind its glass case before stopping and pointing straight behind the goblin.

She grinned toothily up at Olivia, “See? It’ll lead us to him now!”

Olivia cracked a grin at the goblin, “That’s pretty clever, you made it?”

“Yep!” The goblin said, “I’m the best artificer in the kingdom! The other goblins just don’t understand, that’s why they bully me.”

“Well, I understand, and I wont bully you. What’s your name?” Olivia asked as they began following the compasses arrow.

The goblin grinned again, “I’m Puddle! You?”

“Olivia.”

Puddle grinned again, sharp teeth gleaming in the low sunlight, “Well now that I’m here we’re definitely going to find your mate!”

“I hope so, he’s more trouble than he’s worth honestly,” Olivia said dryly, “but I want him back regardless.”

“Then there’s no time to waste!”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In his youth, Jareth had been an arrogant, hubristic king and had only deigned to rule over the goblins for his own amusement. He had constructed elaborate designs and beautiful creations, spanning his entire kingdom with the inherent magic he had inherited through his fae blood. And yet, Jareth found little joy in what he invented. The goblins held their charm, and his fae court provided a small distraction from the bone deep loneliness that filled him.

Princess Sarah was the daughter of a human king, and a wonderful dancer. She had been pulled through the veil to the realm of the Fae and danced for the High King with a loveliness and elegance that no other possessed. She was delicate, with long brunette hair and stunning eyes as green as the leaves of the oldest trees.

Sarah was coveted by all who knew her, but by Jareth above all. He vowed to never love another.

And then she died.

He had spent too long building his kingdom, and in his absence Sarah had passed of an illness incurable to mortals. He had cursed himself and his stupidity, his desire to create had cost him the only love he would ever know. He had been irresponsible, and in his obsession he had forgotten that the life of a mortal passed in little more than a blink of his eye.

His parents had not been pleased. His father in particular had expressed intense rage at his son’s choices, whether through his choices as a ruler or his choices as a man. Sarah had not gained their approval, but Jareth’s negligence to the woman he loved ired his father even more.

The only thing his father had ever approved of was Jareth’s choice in bride, a choice the Goblin King had little say in.

Lady Amalthea.

A powerful sorceress, and a Queen in every sense except title. Jareth had been corrupted and twisted by his pain of losing Sarah, cruelty became second nature and the realm he had lovingly crafted with all of his passion and magic had suffered beneath his raging temperament.

In his distress, he found comfort in Amalthea, whose own pain at love lost too soon resonated within him and provided relief. The chasm within him began to grow, and nothing he consumed filled the great hole. No lover, no food, no wine, and no magic could ever satisfy the fading king. Even Amalthea, for all her brilliance and beauty, was nothing more than a mere distraction.

When Jareth began his search for Sarah’s reincarnation, Amalthea had been enraged. Her love for him knew no bounds, and when he shunned her affection in favour of searching for Sarah, she had cast a terrible curse upon his kingdom.

As he gazed at the corrupted crystal Olivia had procured, Jareth felt the stirrings of Amalthea’s magic within and he knew beyond shadow and beyond reason that Amalthea’s power had risen from its dormant rest. The ties that he had painstakingly put in place had been broken the moment Olivia had drawn the Aegis sword from its pedestal, whisperings of Amalthea’s promise of destruction crept back into his mind after a thousand years of silence.

The crystal hummed, and as he lay on his chaise lounge high up in his personal drawing room, Jareth debated how to deal with this threat.

He considered just giving up. To let Amalthea take what she so terribly desired and live out the rest of his days in hidden privacy, watching the collapse of his kingdom as he yearned for Sarah once more. But when he dwelled on it for so long, Olivia’s face entered his mind, with her violent eyes and unbreakable spirit.

The Aegis sword had chosen her. Not Sarah, as he had initially thought. He had even tried to earn it himself but the sword deemed him unworthy. It had deemed everyone who had ever touched it unworthy.

Except Olivia.

Olivia, who had vehemently insisted on saving a child that was not her own. Who had freed one of the last dryads, and fought against every obstacle he had thrown at her. She was fascinating. Her name was not Sarah, nor was she a princess, or a sorceress, but Olivia had a fire inside her that burned so brightly it threatened to consume all within her path.

He had to decide what was worse, to be burned by her, or let her be his light in the darkness.

Jareth had locked himself away for millennia, he had built an excruciating puzzle full of trickery and mayhem to keep everyone and anyone away from him. He had become a recluse, content to waste away until he was nothing more than dust in the wind.

The last Sarah had conquered the Labyrinth, just a child and so much more than any other, and now Olivia was making great progress. It frightened him, even as he refused to admit such a thing, the tight band around his gut resting heavily inside of him proved his unease. The feeling was expanding, interlinked with another he dare not name lest he fall prey to the only thing he’d ever bow to. Olivia threatened the very existence of his being as he knew it.

He couldn’t let Olivia win. Even if he wanted to.

What a horrible feeling, he mused, to revere and revile the same thing.


End file.
